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K. K. K 

Friend or Foe: 

Which 

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By Blaine Mast 

^ • 

DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY 

_ r 











Xb-^h^s- 


Copyright, 1924, by 
BLAINE MAST 



APR 2 i 1924 


©C1A778087 






To My Wife, Dessie, and Son, Yates, 
And to the Order of the 
Ku Klux Klan, 

This Little Book is Affectionately Dedicated. 




4 


K. K. K. 


INTRODUCTION 



T IS not necessary for- me to say that “K. 
K. K. Friend or Foe'' meets a great public 
need at this particular junction in the his¬ 
tory of our order. I have no hesitancy in 
saying this little book contains the best 
“putting" of the principles and ideals of our organiza¬ 
tion it has ever been my privilege to read. The author 
has seized upon the leading elements and objections 
and tenets of the Ku Klux Klan and given them form 
and setting in such an illuminating and masterly man¬ 
ner as to make the volume a decided contribution to 
the literature of Ku Klux Klanism. 

One cannot but admire the eminent fairness to 
all classes of people mentioned in the volume. The 
work is the product of a judicial mind. There is noth¬ 
ing rabid or wild about any statement and the logic is 
irresistible. We believe a perusal of this book will 
break down any hostility that one may have) enter¬ 
tained regarding the K. K. K. and, doubtless, will as¬ 
sist in determining many indifferent ones to ally them¬ 
selves actively, with an organization that stands for 
the very best things in our American civilization. True 
Americanism must be maintained intact in this great 
Republic. We must insist on respect for law and stand 
by all whose duty it is to enforce it. We must, moreover. 




FRIEND OR FOE? 


5 


keep alive and active a robust and flourishing Protest¬ 
antism. This is America’s only hope and our country’s 
greatest bulwark and protection against the encroach¬ 
ments of an effete civilization and an autocratic and 
despotic foreign ecclesiasticism. In America the peo¬ 
ple must rule, and we must say to any class of men 
or any hierarchy ‘"Hands Off”—^yes, indeed, hands off 
of our schools, our homes, our free institutions and our 
civil and religious liberties. 

Attorney Blaine Mast has done a magnificent piece 
of work and has made the Ku Klux Klan greatly in¬ 
debted to him for his illuminating presentation of the 
whole subject of Klanism. Every Klansman ought to 
buy a copy and not only read it but study it. The gen¬ 
eral public will read it by the thousand. “K. K. K., 
Friend or Foe,” is a great little book. We give it our 
hearty endorsement and bespeak for it a phenomenal 
circulation. It is worthy. 



Imperial Representative of Pennsylvania, 
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan 



6 


K. K. K. 


FOREWORD 


Believing that a great deal of misunder¬ 
standing and misinformation exists regard¬ 
ing the Order of the Ku Klux Klan, and be¬ 
lieving, likewise, that a correct representa¬ 
tion and interpretation of the nature, pur¬ 
poses, ideals and tenets of the Organization 
is in order at this time—considering its phe¬ 
nomenal growth and notoriety—the author 
has attempted to give such an exposition and 
unbiased elucidation as, he hopes, will help 
to clear the popular atmosphere somewhat, 
and allay unconcealed suspicions in some 
quarters. 

The author offers this little book as more 
of an irenicon than an exact exposition—. 
an attempt, rather, to bring about a better 
understanding between opposing factions, 
and engender a feeling of good will and fel¬ 
lowship instead of bitterness and hostility. 

With this aim in mind, the author sends 
this unpretentious volume forth, trusting it 
will be read in the same spirit in which it 
has been written, and that the fair-minded 
public ‘'will have mercy” on this the first 
child of the author’s brain. 

BLAINE MAST. 


Kittanning, Pennsylvania, 
April 15, 1924. 




FRIEND OR FOE? 


7 


CONTENTS 


Chapter Page 

I. The History of the Klan. 9 

II. The Klan and the Jews. 17 

III. The Klan and Roman Catholics. 25 

IV. Incidents, East and West. 48 

V. The Klan and the Young Men’s Christian 
Association . 55 

VI. The Klan and the Burlesquing of the 

Protestant Clergy. 63 

VII. The Klan and the Colored People. 72 

VIII. The Klan and the Immigrant. 82 

IX. The Religious Doctrines of the Klan.... 88 













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t 


FRIEND OR FOE? 


y 


CHAPTER I 
History of the Klan 

A re you a friend or foe of the K. K. K.? If a 
friend, what reason can you give? If a foe, 
what is the cause of your attitude? 

These questions are being asked, wherever one 
finds a group of men—in the home, at the church, in 
hotel lobbies, on street corners, anywhere, everywhere. 
And the observation of the writer is, that a very small 
percentage of people who discuss the Klan, pro or 
con, can give an intelligent reason for either their 
friendship or their enmity. With the intention of be¬ 
ing fair to all, and regardless as to who may be offend¬ 
ed, it is our honest purpose to present a number of 
truths and to discuss some of the fundamental prin¬ 
ciples of the institution. 

History informs us that shortly after the close of 
the Civil War an organization sprang up in a number 
of the Southern States, which has been variously 
designated, but which became known pre-eminently as 
the Ku Klux Klan. Its purpose was to protect the 
homes, estates and persons of the various communi¬ 
ties from lawless and ignorant colored people, who. 



10 


K. K. K. 


by reason of their unexpected and sudden freedom, had 
become dangerous and a menace to cherished institu¬ 
tions and ideals, indeed, to community life itself. Those 
ruffians were aided and abetted by unscrupulous and 
designing whites who rushed south with hopes of be¬ 
coming suddenly rich or with the expectation of ob¬ 
taining fat political plums. The purpose of the Klan 
originally was undoubtedly for good, but there were a 
great many things done by it or in the name of the 
Klan that were decidedly objectionable—in fact, down¬ 
right wicked and criminal. Congress, having been fin¬ 
ally appealed to, in 1871 passed what is known as the 
Force Bill, whose object was to protect the colored 
people from being wronged and exploited, and to af¬ 
ford them the protection our constitution guarantees 
to all its citizens in ‘This land of the free and the 
home of the brave.” However, the Klan of that day 
having accomplished its objective, the Force Bill vv^as 
repealed in 1894 and the institution ceased to exist 
except in name. 

A great many stories have been related regarding 
the activities of the Klan, some true, many false, some 
amusing, others grotesque and cruel. The following 
was told the writer by a man whose father was an 
original member, the latter having himself participated 
in it: 

One night a dozen men paid a visit to a “bad 
negro,” all dressed in the regalia of the order, to hide 
their identity, of course, while one of their number was 
so attired as to resemble satan, who requested a drink 
of water. The negro handed him a bucket of water. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


11 


which was immediately disposed of, and satan called 
for more water, and got rid of another bucket with 
equal facility. Before the contents of the second 
bucket had been drunk, the eyes of the negro bulged 
out, his whole body trembling, and he fell to the 
ground completely collapsed or in a fainting spell. Of 
course, satan had a pouch or large waterbag con¬ 
cealed under his robe. It is said that that particular 
negro caused no more trouble, and that his associa¬ 
tes also had learned their lesson. Doubtless, such 
visits accomplished much good, when used for the 
betterment of the community, but such tricks could 
be put over only on superstitious negroes—negroes 
who believed in ghosts, witches, and so forth. 

Such practices, however, were frequently and most 
grievously abused, as they gave opportunity to the evil 
disposed and unscrupulous to work havoc upon un¬ 
offending and innocent people and great injury to 
whole communities. Nevertheless, when the South was 
experiencing such confusion and chaos, hundreds of 
bands of the Klan prevented wicked negroes and 
whites from accomplishing their hellish designs, and 
in general much good was done. Something drastic 
had to be resorted to, to protect the innocent and to 
strike terror into the hearts of the evil-doers. It is 
said that women could go nowhere in rural districts 
without escorts and the lawless ravaged and despoiled 
on every hand. Although the medicine seemed as bad 
as the disease, yet it finally achieved its purpose—-the 
protection of the innocent. Laws were restored and 
respected and the South once more became a fit place 



12 


K. K. K. 


in which to live. As seen in retrospect, the impar¬ 
tially-minded will readily say that, notwithstanding the 
abuses and indignities perpetrated by some of the 
members of the old K. K. K., the organization per¬ 
formed services that could not have been done by any 
other institution, owing to the chaotic and disorgan¬ 
ized state of the Southland, politically, socially and 
morally. In its halcyon days, it functioned acceptably 
and splendidly, and, peradventure, many there are 
who are willing to overlook its faults and approve its 
virtues. Let these without sin amongst us cast the 
first stone! 

So much for the old Klan. What about its modern 
successor? Can the new o rganization be legitimately 
called its "‘successor” except in name? The present 
Klan came into existence about ten years ago in or 
near Atlanta, Ga. Its growth at first was slow and it 
was confined practically within local limits, but within 
the past two or three years it has been sweeping the 
land like a prairie fire, until the Klan has spread from 
the Great Lakes to the Gulf and from the Atlantic to 
the Pacific. Its growth has been phenomenal, for it has 
a membership unparalleled by any other organization 
in America. 

And the question now arises. For what purpose 
was the new Klan organized? What are its aims? 
What does it stand for? Is it a worthwhile institution? 
Is it an American organization ? 

Its friends come from all classes of citizens and 
all walks of life, and they say sincerely and Unani- 




FRIEND OR FOE? 


13 


mously that its purposes and aims are the very best 
and that its principles are of the highest character. 
When, however, you press them for more information 
—in other words, to be specific and concrete—they 
absolutely refuse, whether they can answer or not. 

Its foes, and they, too come from all ranks and 
conditions of our American citizenship—and are nu¬ 
merous—say that the Ku Klux Klan, is a heterogene¬ 
ous mob, masquerading in the name of good citizen¬ 
ship, whose sole purpose is to stir up religious strife 
and to arouse race hatred, while it aims only at gov¬ 
ernmental control by a few unprincipled and designing 
persons. 

Then there are also neutral persons—persons 
who hold no opinions regarding the K. K. K., who are 
apparently absolutely indifferent. Their attitude is 
that which they invariably take toward any other 
great issue—that of shrugging their shoulders and 
saying nothing. 

Using the method of common sense—generally a 
pretty safe standard and usually eminently fair to all 
parties—we inquire. What does the Ku Klux Klan 
stand for? The question can be fully and intelligently 
answered by a study of the literature of the organiza¬ 
tion. The ‘‘Ku Kluxers,’’ as they are sometimes called, 
distribute their pamphlets and leaflets with prodigal 
hand, and all who desire may peruse them. Their lit¬ 
erature informs us that they stand for the home, the 
public school, a free press, the chastity of womanhood, 
our grand and glorious country, the betterment of 



14 


K. K. K. 


mankind, and best of all and greatest of all, for the 
building up of Christ's Kingdom. 

Now, if these principles are commendable and of 
deep human interest, why such a commotion? Are 
not these things good and grand and glorious ? And if 
these be true and praiseworthy, the organization 
should change its name to "‘G. G. G." instead of ‘‘K. 
K. K." We repeat, if these cardinal principals of the 
Ku Klux Klan be praiseworthy, why do certain peo¬ 
ple stand in doubt and others condemn it? It cannot 
be because it is a secret organization, for a great many 
who are avowedly hostile belong to some secret or 
fraternal order. We hear no complaint about these, 
such as, the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, 
Knights of Malta, Knights of Columbus, and so forth. 
These are all secret orders and our law permits them. 
Then, why do some people condemn? 

Let us take a further step. Does the Klan seek 
only certain people on account of race or religion? 
Some say it is a strictly Protestant organization, and 
that it is also opposed to the Jew, the Catholic, the 
Negro and all those who were so unfortunate as to 
have been born in a foreign land. These statements, 
however, are generally denied by Klansmen, and they 
claim that all who can meet the requirements of the 
Klan, irrespective of race or religion, are eligible for 
membership. The same condition obtains in all orders 
and societies of respectability and good-repute. Nine¬ 
teen hundred years ago, it was said: “Many are called 
but few are chosen.” Historically considered, it has 
been the custom for men to organize themselves into 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


15 


lodges and societies, and thereby to encourage and 
promote various enterprises, as well as to protect 
themselves and their properties in times of oppression, 
exploitation and emergency. We read that in the Dark 
Ages, and even in medieval as well as comparatively 
modern times, when men were forbidden to meet 
openly they formed societies and cults and conventicles 
and convened in caves and caverns or ‘‘any old place,’' 
secure from the watchful eyes of the authorities. In 
America, however, “the land of the free,” we experi¬ 
ence no such hardships. No serious objections have 
ever been raised against any groups meeting in an 
honorable way and for legitimate purposes. The Klan 
affirms and insists that, as an organization or society 
or order, it is both honorable and lawful. 

One great lesson that history teaches is, that in 
a Christian country any institution will cease to exist 
that does not, directly or indirectly, benefit the com¬ 
munity, materially, socially or morally. The greatest 
criterion by which any organization must be judged is 
the legitimate and helpful service it renders to the 
common weal. And time, too, is the great acid test. 
No institution, religious or otherwise, could hold its 
own and command support, did it not possess some 
inherent qualities and fundamental virtues that appeal 
to the human heart. Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, 
as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, uttered a truth 
as applicable and relevant now as then: “And now I 
say unto you. Refrain from these men, and let them 
alone. For if this counsel or this work be of men, it 
will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot 



16 


K. K. K. 


overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight 
against God.” The Christian religion has been well 
attested and has survived every ordeal. It has had 
to face, all down through the ages, the most malignant 
opposition and the fiercest persecution, but it stands 
today stronger and more powerful than ever. The 
same thing holds good of institutions and organiza¬ 
tions in general. They spring up and fiourish for a 
while, but if they cannot stand the test they gradually 
lose their hold on the lives and interests of men and 
finally disappear. If the Ku Klux Klan possesses no 
J intrinsic worth, no elements that vitally appeal to men, 
nothing that finds a responsive echo in human h-earts, 
then it, too, will fade from off the stage of action and 
“go the way of all the earth”—in other words, “die 
a natural death.” Instead of persecuting the Klan, in¬ 
stead of active hostility, therefore, its foes should 
“bide their time”—for, after all, time is the acid, 
the greatest, test. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


17 


CHAPTER II 
The Klan and the Jews 

It has been said that if you meet a Jew anywhere 
—on the street, in the store, in the factory, at the 
cross-roads—and ask him his opinion of the ‘‘K. K. 
K/' his answer will be one of opposition and condemna¬ 
tion, as he conscientiously considers the organization 
a great menace to his race, his religion and himself. 
His vision has become so distorted that he can see no 
good in it whatsoever. This is the result of hearsay, 
rumors and pseudo-information. On the contrary, 
speak to a leader of the Klan and he will assure you 
that his organization does not oppose the Hebrew race, 
nor the Jew as an individual, but that he and his fel¬ 
low-members are absolutely and eternally opposed to 
certain crimes and wrongs that are perpetrated by 
certain members of the Jewish race. And he will 
further declare that the organization firmly believes 
in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that it would be 
quite inconsistent with its spirit, aims and policy to 
admit Hebrews into membership unless they acknowl¬ 
edge Jesus Christ as Master and Lord. Moreover, he 
will affirm that at present there are many Jews who 
are good and worthy members of the K. K. K., who 



18 


K. K. K. 


are believers in Jesus Christ as their Savior and openly 
acknowledge Him as such. And he will further affirm: 
Our organization wants no quarrel with the Jewish 
people, we are not in opposition to them, we are not 
seeking to injure them in person, property or business, 
but because they hold a different religious faith from 
ours we, therefore, do not seek them as members. We 
do accept them as individuals, however, as do all Prot¬ 
estant churches, whenever they meet our requirements. 
Consequently, the Jews should have no more objec¬ 
tion to the Ku Klux Klan than to any Protestant 
church. They may become members of our organiza¬ 
tion in the same way they unite with a Christian 
church —they must qualify. 

Having reached this understanding, it is readily 
seen that there is no conflict between the Klan and the 
Jewish people. 

What does the Klan mean, however, when it as¬ 
serts that it is opposed to some Jews because of the 
crimes they commit? The following is an example: 

In the town where the writer resides there is a 
certain Jew, anywhere between 35 and 40—we shall 
call him Ike for the sake of convenience—who is re¬ 
puted to be in good and respectable standing with his 
own people. He is unmarried, well-off, well-groomed, 
rather fascinating and prepossessing withal. He is 
the owner of a high-class automobile—he has had 
many such during the last decade—and is in the habit 
of taking out for rides Gentile girls in their 'Teens.'’ 
It is said that he even makes engagements for other 
young men of his own ilk, both Jews and Gentiles, and 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


19 


allures these girls to unfrequented spots and secluded 
places. Indeed, by appointment they call at his rooms, 
in a clandestine way, and either without the knowl¬ 
edge of or against the expressed wishes of their par¬ 
ents or other relatives. 

Now, what think you, are Ike's intentions? Are 
they honorable? Does he intend to marry any of 
them? ‘'Not on your life." They are mostly working 
girls. With his suavity, his car, his good looks and his 
money, he easily accomplishes his devilish purpose. 
Having done this, he finds no difficulty in discarding 
them and, figuratively speaking, they are soon thrown 
on the ash-heap like an old soiled hat or an old worn- 
out coat. 

But what about the girls themselves? What about 
their parents or relatives? What about the unspeak¬ 
able heart-aches, the disgrace, the pain, the sorrow, 
the shame, the future? If such girls do not go farther 
and deeper in the swamp of hopelessness and despair, 
it is only a miracle that saves them. Such v/omen be¬ 
come marked—victims of stories that Ike and his fel¬ 
low-libertines tell about them—sneered at by street- 
corner loafers, and avoided by the respectable elements 
of the community. And there are many who hurl 
epithets at such unfortunates, seemingly never taking 
into consideration the powerful appeal which autos 
and courtly bearing make to the desires and longings 
of unsophisticated girls! Some may blame those girls, 
but the Klansmen—never! Ostracized from human 
society, those unfortunates cry out in the words of the 
poet: 



20 


K. K. K. 


“Once I was pure as the snow, but I fell, 

Fell like a snowflake, from heaven to hell; 

Fell, to be trampled as filth of the street. 

Fell, to be scoffed at, and spit on, and beat. 
Pleading and cursing and begging to die. 

Selling my soul to whoever would buy; 

Dealing in shame for a morsel of bread. 

Hating the living and fearing the dead. 

Merciful God, have I fallen so low, 

When once I was pure as the beautiful snow.” 

Many there are who stand off and say: It is too 
bad, something ought to be done, such men should be 
stopped in their nefarious deeds, and so on, while at 
the same time they are afraid to “take a hand” and 
help rid the community of such Lotharios. Such men 
as Ike have friends and money. They are watchful 
and shrewd. It is almost impossible to get them within 
the clutches of the law. The unfortunate girls, in the 
majority of cases, bear their troubles alone and in 
silence and would rather die than tell their stories 
before the curious and scandal-mongers who throng 
court rooms at a trial of that sort, but who could not 
be coaxed into court when any decent trial is in prog¬ 
ress. They are vultures who live on character-carrion. 
They feast and grow fat on despicable things. They 
gloat over human tragedies and rejoice in the down¬ 
fall of the guileless and the inexperienced. It is plainly 
evident that such unfortunates would rather endure 
unspeakable mental anguish than tell their stories be¬ 
fore a jury. Thus, such moral lepers as Ike know this 
and continue to “carry on.” 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


21 


Speaking from personal experience, mothers come 
to me in my official position, tell their agonizing stories, 
wring their hands in deepest grief, and cry: What can 
be done? ‘‘What can be done?'' Nothing. Because 
Ike is sufficiently shrewd to get victims who are over 
the age of consent—sixteen years—and even if not. 
they usually won't talk—^they fear the exposure of a 
court trial, and so forth. 

Where is the remedy for such unspeakable 
crimes? What steps must be taken to prevent such 
wrongs? Who is responsible in the last analysis? 
Must the Klan be appealed to? Should the Klan be 
asked to interfere? We have no hesitancy in saying, 
the Klan should not be either asked or expected to 
interfere. 

Obviously, the remedy is simple. The Hebrew 
people themselves should provide the remedy—they 
should handle the matter, for it is practically in their 
own hands. The majority of the Jews disapprove of 
such crimes. Let them look over any community of 
any considerable size, where we have even an insig- 
nificent number of the Jewish race, and one or more 
men of Ike's character will be found. When they see 
Ike, as doubtless they frequently do, taking some lit¬ 
tle, Gentile working girl out for a joy-ride in his “swell 
automobile," they know his purpose is evil and that he 
has no intention of marrying her. They know that 
he knows they would disown him, and refuse to admit 
him to the synagogue, and would rather bury him alive, 
if he dared marry a Gentile young woman. In the 
name of decency, two or three of Ike's co-religionists 



22 


K. K. K. 


should go to him and say: ‘‘Ike, you must cut this 
thing out. We know your game. You don't want 
that girl. You are bringing the wrath of the Gentiles 
of this community down on us, and we refuse to stand 
for such outrageous conduct. Have you no respect 
for yourself or for us? We command you to desist in 
your attentions to those Gentile girls. There are plenty 
of girls of your own race who would gladly marry 
you and make you a comfortable home. You know a 
Jewess is the only girl you will carry. You dare 
marry no other. We will call in no Ku Klux Klan. 
We will organize a little klan of our own and handle 
your case darn quick. If you continue these villainous 
practices, we will ostracize you from your kith and 
kin, and will, if necessary, tar and feather you, so be 
mighty careful in future.” 

Thus, the remedy—and a speedy one, too—is in 
the hands of the Jews themselves. It is said that not 
only Klansmen, but people of our communities - gen¬ 
erally, are tired of the outrages inflicted upon innocent 
girls by Hebrew libertines, and that it is high time 
that the respectable members of the Jewish race be¬ 
came active and earnest in trying to put a stop to 
them. Leo Franks' case is not an old story, but God 
forbid that it should be repeated in this dear old 
U. S. A. 

Let Jew and Gentile again unite in the common 
cause for the uplift of our peoples. Let us co-operate 
to ameliorate conditions in our respective communi¬ 
ties. During the great World War we went forth to 
battle together and we fought side by side in Flanders 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


23 


fields and many another battlefield. We ate the same 
slim rations, we slept in the same woods and trench, 
and we lived and died together with a feeling of good¬ 
will and a sense of brotherhood. And now, when the 
dove of peace is hovering on the horizon, shall we 
stand ready at a moment^s notice to fly at one an¬ 
other's throats? It takes great emergencies, usually, 
to make men think! How grateful we all should be 
that we live in America, where ‘‘the lines have fallen 
unto us in pleasant places and we have a goodly herit¬ 
age,” instead of in war-swept Europe, where hunger 
stalks the streets and where innocent little children, 
by millions, are crying for food; and, where, even now, 
the sword may soon again be pulled from its scabbard 
and armies rush to and fro, leaving ruin and destruc¬ 
tion in their path? 

We do not wish to be understood as saying that 
the Jew is the only one guilty of immoral and fiendish 
practices. Many are the Gentiles who commit such 
deeds of infamy and shame—crimes that shock the 
moral sense, both of the Jew and the Gentile. It is 
affirmed that Klansmen declare that their order teaches 
them to love all men and neither to hate the Hebrew 
nor do him harm. The Bible says: “And the Lord 
said to Abraham, And I will make of thee a great na¬ 
tion. And I will bless thee and make thy name great. 
And thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them 
that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and 
in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” 

The Ku Klux Klan, believing in the “Book of 
books,” and endeavoring to disseminate its teachings 



24 


K. K. K. 


and to broadcast its principles, cannot, therefore, 
preach hatred for, and cursings on, the Lord's chosen 
people. Klansmen know the history of the Jewish 
people, ancient and modern. They know that the na¬ 
tions which have attempted to exterminate the Jews 
have themselves been destroyed, and that in all modern 
nations, except possibly Russia, the Hebrew people 
enjoy all the rights and privileges of citizenship, in 
common with other nationals. 

“It is up to" the Jew and the Gentile to live 
peaceably together and to each appreciate the other 
and to practice the spirit of goodwill and brotherhood 
in all their relations. May the Lord hasten the day, 
spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, when every man 
shall be a friend to every other man: “The wolf also 
shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie 
down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion 
and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead 
them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their 
young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall 
eat straw like the ox. And the suckling child shall 
play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall 
put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not 
hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the 
earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the 
waters cover the sea." 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


25 


CHAPTER III 

The Klan and Roman Catholics 

According to popular understanding Ku Klux 
Klanism and Roman Catholicism seem to be diametric¬ 
ally opposed to each other. The differences between 
them, some persons seem to think, are absolutely ir¬ 
reconcilable. The subject itself is so delicate that one 
may well be considered somewhat daring in even at¬ 
tempting to approach it, let alone discussing it. How¬ 
ever, since such differences exist and are being dis¬ 
cussed, pro and con, it may be wise to look them 
squarely in the face and see if “things are what they 
seem.^’ 

It must be readily admitted that there are unwise 
and hot-tempered men in all walks of life—in all 
churches, lodges, fraternal orders, or what-not. There 
are even sinister and “pernicious fellows^^—men who 
see no good in anyone else, save in their own families, 
churches, political party or particular “set.’^ Preju¬ 
diced either by training or environment, they are ever 
willing to condemn and disparage the other fellow, and 
to discount anything that may be done in the other 
camp. It is not too much to say that there are certain 



26 


K. K. K. 


Protestants—and they are to be found in any com¬ 
munity—who refuse to believe that any Catholic priest 
or any member of his church can perform a praise¬ 
worthy act, indeed, can ever genuinely act the part 
of the Good Samaritan. They are ever willing to de¬ 
fame and abuse. On the other hand, one may find 
in every community certain Roman Catholics that are 
so obsessed with enmity toward Protestants, especially 
Ku Klux Klansmen, that they think them impossible 
to perform a good deed or to render any helpful serv¬ 
ice to anybody or any institution. Indeed, there are 
some Roman Catholics who are so embittered against 
the K. K. K., that if one should happen to mention the 
name of the Klan they would consider it a direct, per¬ 
sonal insult. 

Fortunately, such persons are not in the majority. 
If you tell them that the Klan made a donation to any 
church or charitable institution, they will forthwith 
acknowledge its benevolent significance and esteem the 
act accordingly. The same thing is true of Klansmen. 
The great majority recognize the humanitarian work 
of the Roman Catholic Church and appraise such at 
its real worth. Speaking irenically, it may be said 
that the big majority of both Catholics and Klansmen 
wish each other well and frown upon any effort made 
to set one against the other. They know that vinifica¬ 
tions and accusations do not get anyone anywhere. 
They know that abuse and profanity are ever the 
stock-in-trade of the villifier and the ignorant. 

Recent history seems pregnant with stories regard¬ 
ing the horrible atrocities perpetrated by the Klan 
upon unoffending and law-abiding citizens, and people 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


27 


have held up their hands in consternation and denun¬ 
ciation. Then, too, reports have been current, from 
time immemorial, regarding the unspeakable crimes 
said to have been committed in convents and nunneries, 
and books have been issued detailing the immoralities 
of the Catholic clergy. Did any of these things hap¬ 
pen near home ? Have you any positive knowledge of 
their truthfulness? Undoubtedly, certain Klansmen 
have “stepped over the traces” and committed deeds 
unworthy of the organization and even brutal in their 
nature; while even certain Roman Catholics and in¬ 
dividual Roman Catholic priests have been guilty of 
moral improprieties that bring the blush of shame 
to the whole church and arouse a spirit of indignant 
protest and resentment. But, is it reasonable and 
right to condemn, in a wholesale way, both the Ku 
Klux Klan and the Roman Catholic Church because 
of the inconsistencies and imperfections of certain of 
their follov/ers? The sober verdict is emphatically. 
No! The defamatory statements contained in much 
of the literature about the Klan are absolutely untrue 
and have no foundation in fact. The same thing may 
be said of much of the literature and books written by 
ex-priests and former nuns, who circulate about the 
country, appealing to the morbidly sympathetic and 
scandal-mongers, and at the same time “raking in” 
most liberally American “dollars and cents.” 

Therefore, we do not hesitate to declare that the 
Klan must be judged by its worthy and honorable 
members and not by its inconsistent followers. We 
must form our opinion of the Roman Catholic church, 



28 


K. K. K. 


and estimate its value to the community and to the 
world not by the hypocrites in it, but by the sacrificial 
service and self-denying efforts incarnated in the lives 
of its members. It is incontrovertibly wrong to arrive 
at a judgment or to pronounce sentence upon any in¬ 
dividual or any institution, church or otherwise, 
founded upon rumors or hearsay. Let us beware of 
the scandal-monger or the gossiper—^the fellow who 
comes to tell us a secret about some individual or in¬ 
stitution. Instead of entertaining such a specious re¬ 
port, we ought to show him the door immediately and 
say: ‘‘Git.” If the gossip be regarding oneself, instead 
of flying into a rage, we should forthwith demand that 
he “produce the goods” “or forever hereafter hold 
his peace.” In such a connection the greatness of 
Abraham Lincoln stands out in bold relief. His biog¬ 
raphers tell us that when he was informed that Secre¬ 
tary of War Stanton had said unkind things about him, 
Lincoln replied that he always had had great regard 
for Stanton’s opinion. On another occasion, some per¬ 
son having advised him that General Grant was much 
“addicted to the cup that inebriates,” Lincoln inquired 
as to the brand of liquor he drank, saying that he 
wanted to get a supply of it for his generals who would 
not fight. 

Speaking of rumors, we are reminded of what 
happened in the Senate recently, in connection with 
the “Oil Scandal Investigation.” Replying to a hu¬ 
morous paraphrase of “The Golden Fleece,” by Senator 
Heflin of Alabama, Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, 
countered with a parody on Longfellow’s “Brothers 
and Sisters Have I none,” reading as follows; 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


29 


“Mr. Vanderlip says: 

Absolute knowledge have I none, 

But my aunt's washerwoman’s sister’s son 
Heard a policeman on his beat 
Say to a laborer on the street, 

That he had a letter just last week— 

A letter which he did not seek— 

From a Chinese merchant in Timbuctoo, 

Who said that his brother in Cuba knew 
Of an Indian chief in a Texas town. 

Who got the dope from a circus clown. 

That a man in the Klondike got it straight 
From a guy in a South American State, 

That a wild man over in Borneo 

Was told by a woman who claimed to know, 

Of a well-known swell society rake. 

Whose mother will surely undertake. 

To prove that her husband’s sister’s niece 
Has stated plain in a printed piece. 

That he has a son who never comes home 
And who knows all about the Teapot Dome.” 

Much of the opposition of the Roman Catholic 
church to the Ku Klux Klan has its source in rumors 
and misinformation. As is well known, a few former 
priests or ex-nuns occasionally visit communities, give 
lectures and distribute literature against the Catholic 
church and its institutions, “because of the money 
there’s in it.” It frequently happens that a crowd of 
malcontents and curiosity-seekers gathers, most of 
whom, however, treat the speakers as fakirs and their 
lectures as jokes. Many of their statements, whether 



30 


K. K. K. 


written or oral, are so manifestly outrageous and in¬ 
conceivable, that even the most rabid refuse to accept 
them at their face value. And here the difficulty be¬ 
gins. The Roman Catholics blame the Protestants or 
the Ku Klux Klan and attempt aggressive measures 
to put a stop to such proceedings, even assaulting peo¬ 
ple in the streets or storming the buildings where such 
meetings are held, often doing not only injury to prop¬ 
erty, but more frequently to persons. 

On the other hand, occasionally Fathers of certain 
Orders of Monks visit villages and cities and towns 
on ‘'preaching missions,’* their object being largely 
to invite the Protestants to their meetings, to explain 
the doctrines and teachings of the Catholic church, 
with the evident purpose of securing “converts.” Some 
of those Fathers are often indiscreet and even radical 
in their utterances, and frequently go out of their 
way to ridicule or belittle the Protestant faith. We 
heard of a Redemptorist Father who made this state¬ 
ment: “If you want a good specimen of a Protestant 
preacher—I will not dignify him with the name of 
clergyman—catch a billy goat, tie a white rag about 
his neck, and there you have him to perfection.” 

Such rash and uncalled-for assertions never do 
any good, but vast evil, whether uttered by Protestants 
or Catholics, and so long as evil-minded and bigoted 
persons “deal in such rot” they will stir up religious 
strife and create denominational turmoil that will 
breed and foster hatred and that will embitter the 
lives of thousands, indeed, whole communities. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


31 


It is a commonplace remark to make, namely, 
abuse, opposition, or persecution never gains many 
adherents, religiously, politically or otherwise. Very 
few persons change their religion or their faith by 
force. The history of the Christian Church confirms 
this statement. In the early days, the Romans com¬ 
mitted indescribable outrages and inflicted unnamable 
sufferings on the followers of Christ, seeking to de¬ 
stroy Christianity from off the face of the earth. In 
the end, however, the religion of the despised Nazarene 
conquered pagan Rome, when even the proud and 
haughty Emperor Constantine embraced the Chris¬ 
tian faith and Christianity became the “State re¬ 
ligion.” Since those days Christianity has been march¬ 
ing on and is some day destined to conquer the whole 
world. In the face of these stubborn facts, shall we 
turn back the clock of time and resort to tactics and 
practices that bear their own condemnation on their 
very face? 

As is well known by all well-informed people, per¬ 
secution under the Christian dispensation began with 
its first martyr, Stephen, and continued, intermit¬ 
tently, through the dark and medieval ages down to 
comparatively modern times. Indeed, we read that in 
the time of the Reformation, not only Roman Catholics 
burned heretics at the stake, but that Christian sects 
persecuted each other because of their refusal to con¬ 
form to the established ecclesiastical usages and forms 
of worship, and declining, moreover, to accept certain 
doctrines of the individual sects. It is a deplorable, 
indeed, a horrible thing to assert—but, nevertheless, 



32 


K. K. K. 


incontestably true—that some of the greatest and most 
repelling crimes of the centuries have been perpe¬ 
trated under the approval and direction of ecclesiasti¬ 
cal authorities—^the Church conscience, if you will, 
of those days. In the days of John Calvin we find him 
consenting to the burning of Servetus, at Geneva, be¬ 
cause he published views that the Calvinists thought 
heretical. Even in England, as late as the seventeenth 
century, we find Protestants waging cruel and bitter 
warfare against not only Roman Catholics, but dissen¬ 
ters of every kind, simply because they refused to con¬ 
form to the customs and doctrines of the Established 
or State Church—the Church of England. History says 
that death was the penalty meted out to all who re¬ 
fused to ‘‘conform to established usages of worship’" 
by the authority of the Crown. Furthermore, history 
informs us that, primarily, that is why the Puritans 
left the shores of their native land and came to 
America, seeking a place where they could worship 
God according to the dictates of their conscience, 
where not only religious liberty would be guaranteed 
them, but where also civil freedom should be their 
right. Hence, the Puritans settled New England, the 
Roman Catholics Maryland and the Quakers Penn¬ 
sylvania. 

In reading the history of the “Pilgrim Fathers” 
—as those sturdy pioneers are affectionately and rev¬ 
erently called—we see how much of hardship and de¬ 
privation and suffering and isolation they were pre¬ 
pared to endure for conscience’s sake. That was a 
noble heroic band of people—that company of 102 Pil- 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


Sf3 

grims—who crossed the ocean in the little ship, May¬ 
flower, and landed in Cape Cod harbor in the midst 
of a pitiless winter, and faced the hardships of an un¬ 
settled wilderness, in an unknown country, menaced 
by savages and threatened by hunger and disease, 
3,000 miles from home and friends, and endured all 
these things in order to worship God as they 
pleased. And yet, history informs us that, in later 
years, they and their descendants persecuted the peo¬ 
ple who came among them to make their homes, be¬ 
cause the newcomers differed from the Pilgrims and 
their offspring in minor matters of religious belief 
and modes of worship, even going so far as to force 
Roger Williams, a pious young minister, to flee from 
their settlement in the dead of winter, not knowing 
where to go. It is recorded they even banished, whip¬ 
ped and imprisoned the Quakers and put four of them 
to death. In this day—this day of enlightenment and 
toleration, in this land celebrated throughout the 
known world for political and religious freedom—shall 
we revert to such atrocities and stain our hands and 
names with deeds of bigotry and persecutions? Shall 
we forget the lessons of the past and ignore the teach¬ 
ings of Christ, for, as Catholics and Protestants, we 
profess to believe in Him? Even though we differ in 
the manner and mode of worship, still each one has a 
right—an inviolable right—to his own belief and to 
worship God as he deems fit! 

We do well to remind ourselves that history re¬ 
peats itself. Unless we are mighty careful, America 
might slip back to undesirable conditions, as did 



34 


K. K. K. 


France in 1794, when all that was necessary, seem¬ 
ingly, was for one to make a request that a certain 
person be sent to the guillotine and the request was 
immediately granted, with the further result that the 
one making the request would often find his own head 
being severed by the death-dealing, infernal machine. 
Anyone conversant with the history of that period 
knows that blood ran like water along the streets, and 
that only after thousands of innocent people had been 
guillotined, did the awful delirium cease, ‘‘for France 
had awakened from the ghastly dream of the Reign 
of Terror.” And who knows that, when the history 
of Russia is correctly written by an unprejudiced his¬ 
torian detailing the happenings of the recent past, it 
may not be even more ghastly and ferocious than that 
of the French Revolution? And is it not all the out¬ 
come, in the final analysis, that people will worship 
God as they think right, and that they will insist on 
the right of free speech and a free press? 

One of the emphatic lessons of history is this, 
namely, the utter futility of trying to compel people 
to change their religious faith and to adopt some other 
form of belief or mode of worship by legislation, physi¬ 
cal violence or persecution. Certainly, America should 
not need to re-learn this lesson! A nation's greatest 
enemy is never without —It is always within. 
The worst political enemy is he who stirs up civil 
strife, as witness our Civil War in 1861-1865. He, 
however, who stirs up religious enmity and race hatred 
is ten-fold a greater enemy, and should a religious 
war take place in America, the late Civil War would 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


35 


be a “storm in a tea-cup’' compared to it. The Civil 
War was fought over slavery and was in reality a 
mere “sectional strife,” but a religious war in America 
would be fought in every city, town and village in the 
entire country! God forbid! Such a catastrophe in 
American would be unthinkable, but let the radicals 
in all the camps beware! 

Intolerant, lop-sided, radical leaders are never 
safe to follow. They are people who are cross-eyed— 
dominated by an intellectual or denominational or po¬ 
litical or religious squint. They always and ever do a 
great deal of harm and provoke hostilities. Men of 
sane and sober judgment should always take into con¬ 
sideration the fact that “disgruntled folk” are to be 
found everywhere and in every political party, religi¬ 
ous denomination, fraternal order, or what-not. If 
decent people would refuse to pay any attention to 
their “mouthings” and villifications and abuse, it 
would be well for the community in general and we 
would never hear of speakers being mobbed. Mob- 
violence gets us nowhere. If we keep steady in the 
presence of the “soap-box orator” or any other public 
nuisance, their ravings would have no more weight 
than the fall of the proverbial feather. It is always 
wise to see the humorous side of things. For instance, 
we heard a certain well-known evangelist one time 
say, during a religious address referring to some of 
the churches: “The Methodists get to heaven in the 
winter time, but they can’t stay there during the sum¬ 
mer. The Presbyterians can never quite make it. As 
far as the Episcopalians are concerned, well, I cannot 



36 


K. K. K. 


say anything about them, for my mother taught me, 
when a little child, never to speak ill of the dead/' In¬ 
stead of taking offense, we all enjoyed his keen trusts 
and also a hearty laugh. We said: 'That fellow kidded 
us." Why not treat the ravings of the radical in a 
similar spirit? Why not take them as the expressions 
of diseased minds and irresponsible persons? With 
men of reason and good sense at the helm to guide the 
ships, the difficulties between the Klan and the Cath¬ 
olics would pass away "like the snows of winter before 
the June sun." No member of the Ku Klux Klan 
should ever become offended at the villifications of 
an irresponsible fellow, styling himself an ex-K. K. K., 
professing to reveal the secrets of the order, as every 
sane person knows that a man who will violate his 
oath of membership is utterly unreliable and worthy 
only of contempt—no one has faith in his fulmina- 
tions. The same things ought to be' true of a member 
of the Roman Catholic church or the Knights of Colum¬ 
bus, when similarly assailed. To mob such speakers, 
which usually results in riots, is to harm the order or 
church to which the assailants belong, and to gain 
sympathy for the foul-mouthed victims. 

There is always "the more excellent way," no mat¬ 
ter what the issue or what the difficulty. When men 
come to know each other and their mutual viewpoints, 
misunderstanding and prejudice frequently disappear. 
There are too many sensible Protestants and members 
of the Klan to credit the statements of the ex-priest 
and the ex-nun in their lectures against the Catholic 
church, and the same thing is true of Roman Catholics. 
As far as we are concerned, the World War settled that 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


37 


question. On the fields of France we were tried to¬ 
gether—not as Catholics or Protestants or Jews, but 
as men and Americans, at that. From experience we 
can say that such men as James Feeney, John Paffrath, 
Michael Jordan and William Calvey—all Catholics— 
were brave soldiers, true friends, God-loving and God¬ 
fearing fellows, and when the test came ‘‘over there,” 
they were not found wanting. No weaklings, they, 
but real, courageous and true to the core. The same 
thing may be stated of the Jews. Of course, there 
were weaklings amongst all ranks and classes, but for 
the most part “the men over there” stood the test 
nobly, grandly, gloriously. No race or religion had 
a monopoly of either heroes or cowards. 

And we are reminded here of an experience one 
Sunday evening, immediately preceding the great bat¬ 
tle of the Argonne. There being no Protestant serv¬ 
ice in the section where we were camping, several of 
us Protestants attended the Catholic service. Among 
many things the priest said in his sermon was this: 
“I observe there are only 30 Catholics here and there 
should be at least 200. As soon, however, as they hear 
the first cannon they will all want to see me.” An ab¬ 
solutely true statement, indeed! When all was quiet 
and things were going well—safe in the rear of the 
big guns, and shot and shell—we were very neglectful 
of all religious services, but when the time came to 
“go over the top,” we all felt that we should have lived 
better lives and should have made greater prepara¬ 
tion, in case we should be suddenly called to meet our 
Maker, and many of “the boys” were called suddenly. 



38 


K. K. K. 


although not unexpectedly, for every time we faced 
the enemy we knew it might be the last of us. How¬ 
ever, we need not go to the fields of France to find such 
conditions, for we all know that similar conditions ob¬ 
tain in America today. When injured accidently or 
taken grievously ill we all think of the need of prepara¬ 
tion to meet God, and then we wish we had lived bet¬ 
ter lives, and so on. Are we not like unto the foolish 
virgins, we read of in the parable of Jesus, who took 
no oil in their lamps, and when the time came to meet 
the bridegroom they were not ready; and while they 
were getting ready, the door was closed, and they 
cried: '‘Lord, Lord, open to us? But he answered and 
said: Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, 
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour 
wherein the Son of Man cometh.” 

Another incident made an indelible impression on 
my mind. In our company were two young fellows— 
one an American and the other a foreigner. Each was 
the opposite of the other—^the American being vile and 
profane in language, the alien morose and silent. It 
was on one of the days of the Vesle River battle— 
a battle never to be forgotten. The two young fellows 
happened to be together, separated from their com¬ 
rades, and crawling on the ground in the attempt to 
find their way back to our company. A German ma¬ 
chine gunner located them and soon the bullets were 
zipping all around them. Their position was extremely 
dangerous, as they could not tell where the bullets were 
coming from and both expected that every bullet would 
hit them and the end was not far off. The American 
young fellow, who could not speak ordinarily without 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


39 


profanity, became absolutely quiet and began to pray. 
He began to think of home and God. On the contrary, 
the foreign young chap commenced to swear and curse 
vehemently, while the American tried his best to stop 
him, but he would not desist. In relating to me the 
story, the American said: “I was sure the wrath of 
God was upon us and I expected to be hit every sec¬ 
ond. I tried to crawl away from him, but he would 
crawl after me and I could not get away from him, 
keeping up incessantly his cursing both of God and 
the Germans. I would not be near that fellow again, 
or any one so profane on a battlefield, for the whole 
world.” It was a great lesson for him, but how soon 
forgotten! It is the same off the field of battle, how¬ 
ever, as on it, for men will continue in their vileness 
and profanity, and take God’s name in vain, but when 
the ‘‘last call comes” no one in his senses wants to go 
out of this life cursing and swearing—at least, no true 
American! 

If we injected more humor into our relations and 
kept on the sunny side of life, there’d be very little 
misunderstanding between Catholics and Protestants. 
We take each other too seriously most of the time. 
Why not “spice up life” with more of the harmlessly 
ludicrous? I recall a Roman Catholic priest who de¬ 
lights in telling stories—clean, amusing and laugh- 
provoking stories—and most of them are “on” his co¬ 
religionists and brother clergy. He radiates sunshine 
wherever he goes and all who know him expect a good 
laugh when they come into his presence. He is the 
most popular “dominie” in the town where he resides. 



40 


K, K. K. 


He tells the following story: was approached by a 

colored boy who said: ‘Good morning, Father,’ in very 
cordial and polite manner. I asked him: ‘Are you a 
Catholic?’ He replied: ‘Gosh, no; it’s bad enough to 
be a nigger without being a Catholic.’ ” This particu¬ 
lar priest enjoys a hearty laugh and bubbles over 
with good, clean humor. Now, if we all took such an 
attitude—both Catholics and Protestants—against 
“anti” parades, speeches and literature, respectively— 
treated them as jokes and unworthy of serious thought 
—a great deal of ill-will and animosity could be easily 
averted. Thinking back to our school-days, we recall 
that the boy or girl who resented a “nick-name,” got 
easily “miffed” or lost his or her temper over mere 
trivial things, that were intended as “by-play,” was 
the one we always teased and taunted—^just mischief- 
like. Well, we grown-ups like to have sport at the ex¬ 
pense of the other fellow, and the “better part of 
valor” is for “the other fellow” to pay no attention. 
A good sport is usually a good winner as well as a 
good loser. 

Now, the Klan is a million miles from attempting 
to cause harm or to endeavor to defame the Roman 
Catholic church. Some ignorant and misinformed folk 
declare that it is the purpose of the Klan to destroy 
the Catholic church in America. The mere statement 
contains its own refutation. Think you that men who 
conceived such an organization as the K. K. K. has 
shown itself to be, which has spread all over the land 
with such amazing rapidity, so that in less than five 
years it numbers its followers by the hundreds of 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


41 


thousands, even millions, could entertain the thought 
even for a moment that they could destroy such an in¬ 
stitution as Roman Catholicism? The leaders of the 
Klan are men of brains and well-informed, familiar 
with history, both sacred and profane, and they know 
that nothing is ever gained by force or compulsion, 
as said previously; and, furthermore, that great ob¬ 
jectives are reached by persuasion, sympathy and kind¬ 
ness rather than by abuse and persecution. The Roman 
Catholic church has stood the test of time. It has its 
adherents in every land, and to talk of ‘"destroying 
the church of Rome’’ is the mere frothing of a dis¬ 
ordered intellect or the dream of a lunatic. One of 
the world’s great historians has said, speaking of the 
Catholic church: "Tt is not a mere antique but full 
of life and vigor. The pope is today the supreme 
head of a church that was great and respected be¬ 
fore the Saxon had set foot on British soil, before the 
Frank had passed the Rhine, when Graecian eloquence 
still flourished in Antioch, when idols were still wor¬ 
shipped in the temple of Mecca. And she may con¬ 
tinue to exist in undiminished splendor when some 
traveler from New Zealand shall, in the midst of a 
vast solitude, take his stand on a broken arch of 
London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul.” 

We do not have to hark back far to see that the 
opposition and villification of former members, former 
priests or former nuns do not accomplish much. The 
Roman Catholic church has never suffered much real 
harm by the “exposures” of its renegades. The same 
thing may be asserted of men who pose as former 
Masons. Odd Fellows. Knifirhts of Malta or any other 



42 


K. K. K. 


organization. The Ku Klux Klan should have no worry 
on the same score. Such “secret oaths” and “revela¬ 
tions” are so much buncombe—damnable perversions 
of the truth. 

Neither should the Catholic church oppose the Ku 
Klux Klan for similar supposed reasons. It seems to 
Kluxers—as they assert—unreasonable that Catholics 
and others should oppose their parading in regalia. 
From time immemorial societies, lodges and organiza¬ 
tions of various kinds have walked in procession 
through the streets of American communities without 
molestation. Knights Templars, Knights of Columbus, 
Knights of Pythias, Sons of Ireland, Sons of England, 
Sons of Scotland, and what-not, have all paraded in 
their respective uniforms and no objections have been 
raised and no obstructions offered. Irishmen parade 
on St. Patrick's Day and Orangemen on St. Stephen’s 
Day—all in regalia. Orangemen wear the yellow and 
Irishmen the green. Then why molest the Ku Klux 
Klan when they parade? 

But some object “because the Klansmen wear 
masks.” True, but that is their peculiar regalia, 
and they are as much entitled to wear their uniform 
as other societies and organizations theirs. Whose 
business is it if the Ku Kluxers desire to conceal their 
identity? If the Klansmen commit no crimes, why 
should they be opposed and obstructed and assailed 
because they wish to remain incognito? If they are 
peaceable and innoffensive in their parades, why 
should anyone object to their masquerade? It is not 
the duty of a police officer to stop pedestrians and ask 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


43 


them their names on the streets of our cities, unless, 
of course, the officers have reason to believe such per¬ 
sons are guilty of criminal offenses. Then what right 
has a private citizen to demand ‘‘who’s who” in a pa¬ 
rade? If paraders wish to cover their faces, no citi¬ 
zen is under obligation to stand and watch them, un¬ 
less for curiosity’s sake. The Salvation Army folk 
wear certain dress and who dare oppose them? The 
Scotch Highlanders parade in bare legs and whose 
business is it but their own? The various Catholic 
sisterhoods wear a garb entirely different from other 
women, but they are never molested. Then why such 
a hullabaloo about the K. K. K. ? 

On the nights of the Ku Kluxers’ parades, has it 
ever been said that they have robbed banks, committed 
burglaries, assaulted citizens or perpetrated murders? 
We have yet to hear of a single instance. If we hap¬ 
pen to hear of any crimes, such as those of the Louisi- 
anna troubles, they are always committed at such a 
distance that investigation cannot be had, but hearsays 
and rumors become the stock-in-trade, and certain 
newspapers “front-page” such affairs and continue to 
disseminate false reports, as such sensations “make 
their papers sell and they rake in the coin.” Klans- 
men aver that their parades and conduct will stand 
investigation. 

Moreover, it is said that Roman Catholics oppose 
the K. K. K. because the organization will not admit 
them as members. The Klan denies this. But even so, 
it does not seem reasonable ground for their opposi¬ 
tion and ill-will. The secret organizations of the Ro- 



44 


K. K. K. 


man Catholic church do not permit Protestant mem¬ 
bers. Protestants do not complain because admission 
is denied them by the Knights of Columbus, and why 
should Catholics complain for practicing the same 
thing for which they accuse the K. K. K.? The prin¬ 
ciple operating seems to be that of ‘‘An Oliver for a 
Rover.’’ 

It has been a custom from time immemorial to 
have secret organizations, and there are certain Prot¬ 
estant churches that oppose all and every kind, but 
they never go to the extreme of trying to break up 
their lawful assemblies or assault and murder their 
members. So long as our laws permit secret societies 
to meet, one has as much right as another. Business 
organizations, the various professions and labor unions 
meet in secret sessions, and we do not hear any op¬ 
position or complaint. Why single out the Ku Klux 
Klan? There are various soldier organizations, but 
because they all cannot join the American Legion or 
veterans of foreign wars organizations, they kick up 
no rumpus nor make threats against them. The logic 
of consistency and common sense is dead against near¬ 
ly all the opposition to the Ku Klux Klan. 

The main reason, however, which the Klan offers 
for keeping the identity of its members a secret is, 
that their organization stands pre-eminently and un¬ 
qualifiedly for order and enforcement of all the laws 
on the statute books. They are a unit everywhere in 
upholding all officers who do their duty without fear 
or favor. Prudence and the desire to make themselves 
of the greatest assistance demand that their identity 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


45 


be concealed. If the members of the K. K. K. became 
known in their respective localities, both to good and 
bad alike, the law-abiding and law-violators, espe¬ 
cially bootleggers and their kith and kin, they could 
not be of the same help in running down such crimi¬ 
nals, for their every movement would be watched and 
the great service they are thus able to render the com¬ 
munity would be practically neutralized. Law-viola¬ 
tors and criminals hate all officers and every Klans- 
man would come under their condemnation, were their 
identity to become known. Therefore, if they wish 
to accomplish the greatest good, it is wise and rea¬ 
sonable to have their identity a secret. No race or 
religion has any legitimate reason to oppose the K. K. 
K. on that score, for there are criminals in all such. 
If the Klan stands for law and order and the ridding 
of communities of the lawless and undesirable ele¬ 
ments, why should the Roman Catholic church oppose 
it? Why should the Jews? Why should some Prot¬ 
estants? Why? 

It is a trite saying that at the present time there 
seems to be contempt for law generally, and our coun¬ 
try has been, and is still, witnessing wave after wave 
of crime, practically unprecedented in American his¬ 
tory. The Klan is heart and soul in the effort to as¬ 
sist all legitimate authorities and officers in their at¬ 
tempt to eradicate the bootlegger and all other crim¬ 
inals. Whether known or not, many law-breakers and 
scoundrels have been brought to justice and deservedly 
imprisoned by the aid furnished by members of the 
K. K. K. If the Klan is helping to hunt out, run down 



46 


K. K. K. 


and eliminate vice in our communities, and the mask 
helps them in their work, we cannot see why any true- 
blooded American should kick. 

It is also said that another reason why the K. K. K. 
wear masks is, that they may be able to build up their 
membership from the best and most acceptable of 
American citizenship. It is asserted that there are 
many who want to join the ranks of the Klan, but who 
do not know how to go about it or whom to approach. 
There are thus both advantages and disadvantages in¬ 
volved, but the former outweigh the latter manifold. 
Everyone knows, or ought to know, at least, that many 
men have insinuated themselves into many secret or¬ 
ders, such as Masons, Odd Fellows, and so forth, who 
do not adorn their lodge or bring any moral or spirit¬ 
ual value to their respective organization. They have 
associated themselves with such and such an order for 
personal advantage—financially, socially, politically or 
otherwise. They have been actuated by selfish pur¬ 
poses or mercenary ends, sometimes by both. Con¬ 
cealing their identity, the Klan can select their mem¬ 
bers and act accordingly. Now, what complaint can be 
legitimately oifered to such a procedure? If other 
organizations make their own by-laws or change them 
when conditions demand, and no complaint is regis¬ 
tered, why then, in the name of reasonableness and 
logic, cannot the K. K. K. carry out its own wishes 
and formulate its own plans, without being stigmatized 
and defamed frequently by unscrupulous and preju¬ 
diced persons? Without offense, the Klansmen may 
truthfully say: ‘Tt's none of your business.’' 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


47 


Is there not a better way? Reconciliation is pre¬ 
ferable to either domination or separation. Friend¬ 
ship every time should replace enmity and kindness 
is much to be preferred to ill-will. Both Catholic and 
Protestants, Jews and Klansmen, should remember 
the Golden Rule: ‘‘Do unto others as you would that 
they should do unto you’'—one of the greatest sayings 
of the Master. Therefore, we should go forth not to 
curse our neighbor, not to do him harm, not to ‘‘filch 
from him his good name,” but to rather bless him, ex¬ 
tend him a helping hand, speak a kind and loving 
word; indeed, to bring consolation to the fatherless 
and the widow, assistance to the down-trodden and op¬ 
pressed, comfort to the sorrowing and distressed, in a 
word, to practice the spirit of Him of whom it was 
said: “He went about doing good.” And when we bid 
this old world an eternal farewell, and our earthly 
cares are forever past, men may ask: “How much 
property did he leave behind?” but, we imagine, the 
angels will ask: “What good did he accomplish and 
how many has he turned from the error of their 
ways?” 



48 


K. K. K. 


CHAPTER IV 
Incidents, East and West 

The Ku Klux Klan has been the butt of “smart 
alecs” and the jibe of ignoramuses of the first magni¬ 
tude. Even intelligent men have sneered and jeered 
at the very mention of its name. They have conjured 
up evil things and their very imaginings have been 
vain and conceited. Unspeakable crimes have been 
laid at its door and rumors have been circulated as 
foundation truths. Some men have conceived of the 
Klan in blackest terms and looked upon it as having 
come out of perdition, full-fledged, indeed, as the very 
incarnation of his Satanic Majesty. They have denom¬ 
inated it cruel, inhuman and diabolical. They have 
helped to create an atmosphere and an attitude of the 
utmost hostility, until, doubtless, some have thought 
they were doing God service by vilifying it and trying 
to administer physical force whenever and wherever 
possible. The climax was reached last summer, how¬ 
ever, as seen in two incidents—one in Pennsylvania 
and the other in Oklahoma. 

We refer, first, to the Carnegie incident. Dur¬ 
ing a parade on August 25, 1923, in the borough of 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


49 




Carnegie, Pa., the Klan was attacked by a few hood¬ 
lums who attracted a crowd. Vile and lying epithets 
were hurled at the parade. A riot ensued and a young 
man by the name of Thomas G. Abbott was shot to 
death by a man in ambush—sheltered in a doorway. 
Thomas Abbott became a martyr to the cause, and 
his name will be honored and his memory cherished 
much the same as John Brown’s, the illustrious hero 
of Harper’s Ferry. John Brown did not die in vain. 
His name and deeds are written high in the nation’s 
scroll of fame. True, he did not free the slaves of 
America, but he set Americans thinking and influences 
at work that finally resulted in the proclamation of 
Emancipation signed by the hand of the immortal Lin¬ 
coln, “And John Brown’s soul goes marching on.” 

The name of Thomas G. Abbott—almost a mere 
youth—will some day hold a high place in the heart of 
Protestant America and his fame will gain in momen¬ 
tum with the passing of the decades. True, he did not 
accomplish his heart’s desire, namely, to parade the 
streets of Carnegie with his fellow-Klansmen, for he 
was assassinated ere he had gone far, but his death set 
people thinking and brought them face to face with 
a great problem—liberty to do as one pleases, while 
not infringing on the rights of others. Sober-minded 
and well-balanced citizens are reminded that they must 
not allow the unthinking and radical elements to get 
control—^people who act before they think, who rush 
pell-mell into a thing without considering conse¬ 
quences. We must all learn to think before we act 
and thus many tragedies and unfortunate happenings 
may be averted. 



50 


K. K. K. 


The murder of Thomas Abbott undoubtedly has 
g*iven the Ku Klux Klan a great boost—possibly, its 
greatest advertisement. Had there been an unob¬ 
structed, peaceable parade, with no untoward circum¬ 
stance, the Klan would have gone to its place of meet¬ 
ing, carried out its arranged program, and afterwards 
separated each unit going its own appointed way, with¬ 
out even causing a ripple of excitement or observation. 
But the riot and the murder gave the Klan and its 
doings a conspicuous place on the front page of all the 
large newspapers of the country and, indeed, press 
notices all over the world. It may be well said that 
the name of Thomas Abbott—the first martyr of the 
K. K. K. in Pennsylvania—is as well known as that 
of America’s first president, George Washington. 

It has been said that men who were formerly ac¬ 
tively opposed and others luke-warm before the Car¬ 
negie incident have allied themselves with the Klan 
and are now among its most enthusiastic and loyal 
supporters and propagandists. We have been reliably 
informed that so many have applied for membership 
to supposed members that more stringent rules have 
been adopted to keep certain men from becoming fol¬ 
lowers. The Klan has grown so tremendously during 
the year that it is claimed there is not a county in 
America without a lodge and a large membership. 

And this brings us to that spectacular incident in 
Oklahoma. Doubtless, like Herod of New Testament 
fame, and with an insatiable desire for popularity, to 
please a certain faction of the people of his State, Gov¬ 
ernor Walton undertook to drive the Klan out of Okla- 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


61 


homa, to imprison its leaders and to perhorresce the 
timid and sympathetic public. But he “counted with¬ 
out his host.’' He had a vision that proved to be a 
mirage. Walton made accusations against the K. K. K. 
that had no basis in fact, he defied the legislature and 
flaunted the whole State in the face, drunken tempo¬ 
rarily with the power and pomp that goes with the 
gubernatorial office. He declared martial law, imported 
gunmen and aided and abetted the worst elements of 
the “oil State,” with the result that the State rose in 
its entirety practically and demanded his impeachment 
which was safely and quickly accomplished. And not 
only so, but Walton stands discredited and disgraced 
forever and his offspring also, and he may consider 
himself fortunate that today he is not wearing the 
stripes of an inmate of one of Uncle Sam’s mansions. 
Had he “got all that was coming to him” probably he 
would. 

How are the mighty fallen! What anxious nights 
Walton must have spent. Possibly he did not intend 
to do wrong, but elections are expensive and cost 
money. Political heelers and hangers-on must be ap¬ 
peased and protected and granted favors. It is almost 
impossible to get rid of such parasites, once they get 
their tentacles firmly imbedded in their victim, and the 
appeaser and grantor invariably has to suffer, if found 
out in his nefarious practices. We are not prepared to 
say precisely what brought Walton into trouble or 
what led directly to his ignominious political end, but 
we do affirm that he conceived and endeavored to carry 
out the shrewdest scheme ever invented to extricate 



52 


K. K. K. 


himself. Thinking his plan would eventually succeed, he 
threw sand into the people’s eyes. He surely had for¬ 
gotten Lincoln’s great aphorism: ‘‘You can fool all the 
people some of the time, and some of the people all of 
the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the 
time.” Walton did most certainly fool some of the peo¬ 
ple some of the time, but he did not succeed in ^'getting 
away with it.” Haman-like, he swung on the gallows 
that he had erected for others politically. “Chickens 
sometimes come home to roost.” He deserves great 
credit for his resourcefulness when in difficulty and for 
putting up a strenuous but ineffectual fight. Doubtless, 
there is many a man in prison today serving a long 
sentence, who, had he one-tenth of the ingenuity and 
cleverness of Walton, would have made a hero of him¬ 
self instead of a convict. Walton takes the lead of 
America’s greatest showman and fakir, and P. T. Bar- 
num may be compared to an infant in such knowledge. 
The Ku Klux Klan of Oklahoma is to be commended 
and congratulated for its good judgment, sanity and 
able and wise handling of such a difficult affair. Ac¬ 
cused by Walton, subjected to all kinds of abuse, and 
misrepresented and lied about by the press, neverthe¬ 
less they proceeded in a sensible and business-like 
manner, never lost their heads, bore quietly and pa¬ 
tiently unspeakable villification, bided their time, and 
when the day came they vindicated themselves and 
turned the tables upon their traducers. The people of 
Oklahoma knew the state of affairs, the proper tri¬ 
bunal acquitted the Ku Klux Klan and placed the blame 
where it belonged, much to the chagrin of some peo- 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


53 


pie in many parts of America, but to the delight of the 
bulk of all unprejudiced and red-blooded people every¬ 
where in the land. It is said that there are a few folk 
who believe in Walton and who have not yet got the 
dust washed out of their eyes. More’s the pity! For 
a time the former governor received the plaudits of the 
nation and he basked in the sunshine of popular favor, 
but his day of judgment came and he was found want¬ 
ing. It was the Klan who discovered the irregularities 
in his political life and conduct and exposed them and 
has put him into political oblivion forever, it is to be 
hoped. However, it is asserted that Walton owns a 
very fat pocketbook and is able to live in ease and 
luxury the rest of his life. Again, more’s the pity! 
If the Klan had not acted prudently and restrainedly, 
he might have been assaulted and mobbed and perhaps 
murdered, and would thus have gone down in history 
as a martyr to the cause of liberty and free speech, 
with all the fur-belows and flounces pertaining there¬ 
to, but now he will be known as a fakir and unworthy 
of consideration and a discredited quondam politician 
with a ''full pocketbook.” 

These two indictments have done more to make 
the Ku Klux Klan known in America and throughout 
the world and to bring men to its banner than could 
have been achieved by paid advertisements running 
into the millions. / The Klan is here to stay and is 
only in its swaddling clothes. Nothing can withstand 
its progress and popularity except the rash acts and 
fool-hardiness of its leaders. If the Klan will abstain 
from meddling in affairs which do not concern it, and 



64 


K. K. K. 


will refuse to interfere in the liberties of other men or 
bodies of men, church affairs, or race problems, but 
steadily keep to its own great and legitimate aims, 
namely, for home and school and native land, and pre¬ 
eminently law enforcement, as said previously, it will 
continue to grow in the estimation of all good citizens, 
and generations yet unborn will thank God for such an 
organization, truly American in origin and develop¬ 
ment. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


55 


CHAPTER V 

The Klan and the Young Men’s Christian Association 

One of the questions often put to a veteran of the 
Great World War is this, namely, "‘Did the Young 
Men’s Christian Association do their part overseas, in 
the late war, or were they a complete failure?” We 
find the question still interesting to the ‘"boys” who 
took part in the awful struggle, and many prominent 
men have sought only the truth. 

In some way the question is not an easy one to 
answer clearly and satisfactorily. Certain things have 
to be taken into consideration and the answer some¬ 
times depends upon the point of view, the disposition 
of the person interrogated, and such-like. Quite often 
considerable abuse has been heaped upon the Y. M. 
C. A. (as it is familiarly called) by “soldier boys” who 
had not been overseas, and, of course, it is readily 
conceded that they know no more about the matter 
than men who were not in the army. 

Speaking from experience, having spent nearly 
15 months overseas, I wish to say that, though there 
were individual cases where the Y. M. C. A. rendered 
exceedingly poor service, yet on the whole, or as an 
organization, it did splendid and remarkable work, and 



56 


K. K. K. 


had not the Association undertaken to either give or 
sell certain articles to '‘the boys/’ we should have been 
without many of the real necessities of life. 

Such being so, it is asked, then. Why has the Y. 
M. C. A. been so severely criticized by so many vet¬ 
erans on their return to America ? We may reply. The 
criticism has been largely exaggerated. We have been 
also questioned as to whether the Association supplied 
us with tobacco and other things when on the front 
lines. Our reply is. No. Neither the Y. M. C. A. nor 
any other organization furnished us with supplies of 
any kind, except some specially brave men or women 
who followed us even in defiance of strict orders some¬ 
times. This, however, was a very rare occurrence. 
The vast majority found no fault on this account, for 
we did not expect to be eating ice cream and other lux¬ 
uries on the firing lines—^we did not go there for that 
purpose. We went there to knock the stuffings out of 
the Kaiser and his Huns. And Praise Be! we did it! 
It must be ever borne in mind, that our vast army of 
two million men, who reached France, was made up 
mostly of civilians, the majority of whom had never 
had any previous military training and, furthermore, 
that the great bulk of our junior officers were without 
any sort of military training prior to entering the serv¬ 
ice. Hence, the tremendous task of putting an army of 
such proportions in the field, training those men and 
the officers to command them! We doubt whether an¬ 
other nation on earth could have accomplished such 
an undertaking in so short a time, and have achieved 
so great success, with very little or no friction or mis- 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


57 


understanding. Great credit and unstinted praise 
should be given our leaders, themselves unversed in 
the arts of war, for we Americans are a commercial 
and industrial nation, and do not think in the terms 
of military and naval science. Therefore, it is reason¬ 
able to assume that we “soldier boys’’ had to put up 
with great hardships and untold inconveniences that 
could have been averted, doubtless, had sufficient time 
been given for proper and necessary preparations. 
Many of our officers were inexperienced men, possess¬ 
ing neither ability nor qualification for the positions, 
practically, thrust on many of them; and under such 
conditions, it follows that mistakes must have been 
made and, therefore, consequent grumblings on the 
part of the troops themselves. Company commanders, 
battalion commanders and regimental commanders— 
each and all were unsparingly criticized on all sides. 
When, however, the war was over, and we found that 
the same conditions existed in other divisions, imme¬ 
diately criticism was directed at the high officers. 
Thinking logically, “the higher-ups” were not to blame 
either. Instead, they should have been commended, for 
they achieved a wonderful task and in double-quick 
time, too. The writer was one of the men who came 
home with a very pronounced feeling of disgust for 
the “higher-up” officers, but when I had time to think 
it all over—the wonderful work that had been done 
in such a brief time, in sending us to France and 
bringing us home again—I frankly confess that my 
feelings underwent a great change, and instead of 
remaining a “knocker” I became a “booster” and have 
been a “booster” ever since. 



58 


K. K. K. 


By a parity of reasoning, similar conditions pre¬ 
vailed among the Young Men's Christian Association 
and other organizations. These had to recruit a great 
number of persons lacking both in training and quali¬ 
fication for such work, a large number of whom made 
good, however, but a few were rank failures, possess¬ 
ing neither morality nor religion. And while such de¬ 
served to be greatly censured and condemned, it is 
manifestly unfair and unjust to blame the whole or¬ 
ganization. 

As said, I returned a knocker of army life, but I 
never knocked the Y. M. C. A. The more I knew of 
their difficulties, the more I admired the work they 
accomplished. 

Possibly, some are ready with the interrogation, 
'‘Why do you mention such facts in a book dealing 
with the friends and foes of the Ku Klux Klan? Are 
not these irrelevant?” My answer is as follows: 

A certain man approached me some months ago, 
who, I presume, is a member of the Klan, and who 
was endeavoring to interest me in the organization— 
at least, I gathered as much from our interview. This 
conversation took place: 

“Were you a soldier in the Great War?” he asked. 

“Why do you wish to know?” I countered. “What 
have you up your sleeve?” 

Without replying he repeated his question, “Were 
you overseas?” 

“Yes, fifteen months.” 

“In your opinion, was the Y. M. C. A. a success or 
a failure?” 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


59 


“By and large, I considered it a fairly good suc¬ 
cess,'' I replied. 

“Then why did you fellows come back home and 
knock it and do it so much harm that it will take years 
to recover from?" 

Somewhat heatedly, I answered: “I never did 
knock the Y. M. C. A. I always appreciated it and have 
ever spoken of it in terms of admiration." 

“Have you not heard other soldiers knock it?" 

“Yes, I have." 

“Then, why do they knock it?" he questioned.. . 

That set me thinking and I did not reply at once. 
After a moment's hesitation, however, I said, “There 
were, without doubt, some agents and workers of the 
Association who were misfits and altogether unsuited 
to their job, as in all the other organizations, the 
army included." 

“Do you say there were good and able, indeed, 
well-qualified, workers, as well as misfits, among 
them ?" 

“Most decidedly there were," I responded. “On 
July 16, 1918, near Conde, during the progress of a 
fierce battle around Chateau Thierry, we had a Y. M. 
C. A. representative killed—a worker for our battalion. 
That young fellow was indefatigable and unceasing 
in his work, in order to make life more enjoyable for 
the boys and to do all in his power to lighten their 
burdens. He had won the confidence and respect of 
all of us, officers and men." 

Presently my interviewer asked, “Were there mis¬ 
fits as well as good men among the ranks of the 



60 


K. K. K, 


Knights of Columbus workers?'' 

“Yes, I think, but they did not pretend to operate 
on as large a scale as the Y. M. C. A. I did not see 
many of them." 

“Were there misfits as well as good men among 
the Jewish welfare workers?" he pursued. 

“Doubtless, there were, but I never met any of 
the Jewish agents until I arrived at St. Nazaire en 
route home." 

“Were there not misfits among the Salvation 
Army people as well as good ones?" he questioned. 

“I suppose there were, but I do know there 
were some mighty good ones, for I saw two lassies 
serving doughnuts, very close to the lines where the St. 
Mihiel offensive had taken place. I was informed at 
the time that they had been there, helping and cheer¬ 
ing the boys, when the shells were flying thick and 
fast. All of the three organizations last mentioned, 
however, did not operate as extensively as the Y. M. 
C. A. Consequently, the misfits would be more con¬ 
spicuous and their mistakes more noticeable, largely 
on account of their greater numbers. On general prin¬ 
ciples, moreover, misdeeds and mistakes make a deeper 
impression than kindness, love, sympathy and mercy. 
Twelve bad men can cause a greater sensation and 
make more noise than five hundred good men. As said, 
I always considered the Y. M. C. A. representatives did 
a great deal for the relief of 'buddies,' and also minis¬ 
tered to their moral and spiritual needs. As a result, 
many of us had more comforts and conveniences than 
would have been otherwise possible." 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


61 


“Then,” said my interrogator, “yours is a repre¬ 
sentative answer. When sifted down, the net result 
is pretty much the same. The concensus of opinion is, 
that the Y. M. C. A. did a noble work during the war 
and accomplished wonders, with but few exceptions. A 
few designing and insidious fellows who were 'over 
there’ when the war closed, started to breed ill-feeling 
against the Y. M. C. A. This was a comparatively 
easy thing to do, for most of the boys were wonder¬ 
fully homesick and sore on the world in general. By 
citing a few instances where some Y. M. C. A. men 
had been delinquent or had not done their duty, it 
could easily be made to appear that all their workers 
were dishonest and crooked. I find that most of the 
veterans speak of the Association as you do and appre¬ 
ciate their worth and work. However, the propaganda 
which has been carried on unceasingly and unjustly 
against the organization almost obliterated the good 
they did and has militated largely against its useful¬ 
ness. This determined and skillfully-planned agitation 
has about spent itself and a boomerang has already 
set in. We have located the source of it all, and the 
Klan is prepared to combat, with all its might and 
main, such dastardly and cowardly schemes. Indeed, 
we propose to 'fight fire with fire,’ so let all such men 
and organizations beware. As long as the Protest¬ 
ant people had no such organization as the Klan, they 
were completely at the mercy of such unscrupulous 
and insidious persons and institutions. We have in¬ 
vestigated the matter and know the parties behind the 
agitation. We, who have been soldiers, know that a 




62 


K. K. K. 


mob cannot stand against an army, even if out-num¬ 
bered five to one. The Klan is a thoroughly organized 
and powerful institution. and we stand for American 
fair-play for all. We do not intend to attack any race 
or any religious or political organization so long as 
they remain in their own territory, but we give them 
fair warning: they must not—absolutely must not— 
infringe or entrench on the rights of others. The Klan 
is organized to combat not to attack, to protect, not 
to tear down, the great and fundamental institutions 
of our mighty Republic. Thank God, the Young Men's 
Christian Association is being rapidly and definitely 
vindicated and rehabilitated in the esteem and confi¬ 
dence of Protestant America." 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


63 


CHAPTER VI 

The Klan and the Burlesquing of Protestant Clergy 

Continuing the interview in our last chapter, my 
questioner said, “Have you ever noticed how fre¬ 
quently the Protestant clergy are burlesqued on the 
screen in the moving picture shows? They are made 
to cut up all kinds of silly and ridiculous capers and 
become great sport for the audiences. Both their do¬ 
ings and sayings are exhibited in the most ridiculous 
manner and they thus furnish fun for cultured and ig¬ 
noramuses alike—the target of many jokes and comic 
attitudes, some of them of an unsavory and suggestive 
character.” 

“Yes,” I replied, “I have but I have likewise seen 
men of other professions ridiculed, such as doctors, 
lawyers, and so forth. I am frank to say, that I see no 
reason why ministers should be exempted from being 
burlesqued in common with other professions. No 
doubt there are some preachers who make good sub¬ 
jects for Charlie Chaplin to mimic.” 

“Just so; for I am sufficiently frank to say I agree 
with you, according to your putting of the matter. 
The clergy are only men like ourselves. Now, doctors 
and lawyers come from all denominations—Jews and 



64 


K. K. K. 


Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants. They also come 
from all races and all colors, and no particular class of 
people can reasonably take offense when mimicked and 
exhibited in silly and ridiculous attitudes, and cutting 
up all sorts of pranks. But, my friend, I wish to ask 
you a question just here: Did you ever see a Roman 
Catholic priest or a nun thrown on the screen and held 
up to ridicule, to provoke laughter and scorn? Have 
they ever been made to go through certain unseemly 
performances and funny antics? Have you ever seen 
a Jewish rabbi foolishly and ludicrously impersonated 
and made a target for the guffaws and enjoyment of 
the riffraff, as well as for the huge delectation and en¬ 
tertainment of the 'Upper-Ten'? No, you certainly 
have not. If, however, Catholic priests and Jewish 
rabbis are ever presented in a picture, they are al¬ 
ways shown as examples of the highest dignity and 
the most consummate respect. Why the difference? 
Don’t you begin to see 'the nigger in the woodpile’? 
Why burlesque the Protestant minister and hold him 
up as a weak sister, an effeminate fellow, a proper sub¬ 
ject for ridicule, and let the priest and the rabbi go 
'scot free’? I tell you, the Ku Klux Klan is opposed, 
to the death, to such partiality and favoritism. If the 
picture-producers insist on showing the Protestant 
clergy as clowns and imbeciles, we demand that Roman 
Catholic priests and nuns and Jewish rabbis receive 
the same treatment. They must perform the same 
stunts and we will all be satisfied. If, however, priests 
and rabbis are treated with reserve and respect, we, 
as Klansmen, insist that ministers of Protestant Chris- 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


65 


tianity must be similarly treated. Protestant clergy¬ 
men have no monopoly on clownish performances— 
there are others! The Klan says: ‘What’s sauce for 
the goose is sauce for the gander.’ ” 

Next came the writer’s turn. I asked, “How can 
the Klan remedy this condition? What are you going 
to do about it?” 

“Same as the Catholics and the Jews have done 
and are doing. We will have representatives on the 
boards of movie censors as the others have, and we will 
show the nation that we are not asleep but fully awake, 
indeed, that we are up and doing. Apparently, the 
Protestant censors on those boards are slumbering, 
and do not even seem to be rubbing their eyes—yet. 
The Klan will demand —and now we are sufficiently 
powerful to insist that our demands be respected— 
that all be made clowns or absolutely none. And, 
furthermore, if such films do happen to escape the 
censors, the Klan will be on the job and take measures 
to see that such pictures will not be profitable invest¬ 
ments for the producers. We will see to it that our 
friends shall not attend, neither will we attend, and we 
are even now large and numerous enough to paralyze 
the moving-picture institution in America. What I am 
saying is, we will boycott the movies where Protest¬ 
ant ministers, Protestant institutions and ideals, and 
the Protestant religion are held up to scorn. The Ku 
Klux Klan will, of course, keep within the law; but, 
by the Eternal God! as the immortal Lincoln said, 
when looking for the first time on an auction sale of 
slaves in Louisville, Ky., some day we will smite that 
thing hard. 



66 


K. K. K. 


Confessedly, such declarations and presentations 
begin to give us a new angle on the Ku Klux Klan. 
Their logic is stern and vigorous and inescapable, but 
assented to by every thoughtful and unprejudiced per¬ 
son. If this is what the Klan stands for, millions of 
Protestants in America—true-hearted, red-blooded, pa¬ 
triotic-minded and loyal-souled citizens—will hold it in 
highest regard and will be willing to defend its prin¬ 
ciples to the limit. 

Confessedly also, many have held the Klan in 
deepest suspicion and have been accustomed to think 
and speak of it as a sort of law-breaking mob, meriting 
the extremest contempt, and claiming that no good 
could ever accrue from such an institution. It is clear 
now to many of us, why the Klan, in recent months, 
has grown so unprecedentedly rapid, and why it has 
taken such a hold upon the heart of Protestant Amer¬ 
ica. 

According to our interviewer, the Klan’s logic is 
like a Damascus blade, cutting both ways. Indeed, to 
use an American slang, *‘it gets the enemy coming and 
going.'' Its reasoning and conclusions are absolutely 
irresistible and they are eminently fair and just. It 
does seem an unspeakable outrage, to hold up one class 
of religious teachers to scorn and contempt, although 
under the semblance of fun and frolic, and treat other 
classes with respect and honor. 

Now, we are not contending that all Protestant 
clergy are immaculate and infallible. Doubtless, some 
members ^‘of their cloth" are so irregular in their lives 
that they deserve only censure and ridicule. But such 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


67 


men do not represent their honorable and worthy pro¬ 
fession. We all know there are hypocrites in every 
walk and station of life. Ministers are only men—at 
the best. Very few of them claim to be saints—as 
we don’t usually canonize men until they are dead—but 
the vast majority of the Protestant clergy are every 
inch men, men of noble character, educated leaders— 
most of them—and second to none in the work of the 
world and the worthwhile things of life. Every red- 
blooded American honors and affectionates the 
'‘dominie” or “the pastor.” Many of us sucked re¬ 
gard for them at our mother’s breast. They compare 
favorably in all respects—nobility of character, hon¬ 
esty of purpose, achievement of success, administra¬ 
tive ability, educational and professional attainments 
and accomplishments, pulpit and forensic acquirements 
—with any other religious teachers and their shadow 
does not grow less. They stand in no man’s shade— 
they are the equals of any and the peers of all, “and 
then some.” We hold no brief for Protestant clergy¬ 
men, but we wish to do them justice and they fully 
deserve all we can say and more. We are uncondi¬ 
tionally and indubitably with the Klan in their atti¬ 
tude towards Protestant ministers of the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ, and approve and admire their demand 
that they receive the same honorable and courteous 
treatment as Roman Catholic priests and Jewish rab¬ 
bis. 


Now, it must not be construed that the purpose of 
this book is to breed or arouse animosities between the 
different religious communions. That, we have dis- 



68 


K. K. K. 


avowed previously. Indeed, our aim is rather to be 
irenical—that is, conciliatory and upholding peaceable 
relations. But that must not prevent us from facing 
the facts as they really exist. They are with us and 
we must meet them, fairly and squarely. To discrim¬ 
inate, as doubtless the moving picture producers have 
done—and we regret that such is the case—between 
Protestant religious teachers, on the one hand, and 
Roman Catholic and Jewish teachers, on the other, is 
a most prolific source of all kinds of hatred and ill- 
feeling. It is to speak plainly and deliberately, Prot¬ 
estants and the Ku Klux Klan “will not stand for it.” 
And the sooner the movie-picture industry and mag¬ 
nates know it and change their tactics, the better for 
all concerned. The Catholic, the Jew, and the Protest¬ 
ant owe it to each other to respect each other’s re¬ 
ligious convictions and each other’s churches. It is 
too late in the history of the world for any particular 
church to prate about it’s being “the only church”— 
“the true church.” Pardon the expression, but most 
harded-headed business men—men who accord to 
themselves freedom of thought and the right to form 
their own religious views, founded on basic facts— 
look upon all such ecclesiastical arrogance and un- 
historic pretensions as “mythical as any of Aesop’s 
fables.” We know today—and we defy successful his¬ 
torical refutation—that no particular religious body 
—whether Catholic or Protestant or Jewish—holds 
any monopoly upon the truth. No church has entire 
possession of “the keys of heaven or hell.” Such a 
belief is not based upon a correct interpretation of 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


69 


Scripture but upon the vain and bumptious traditions 
of men. Men are largely Protestant or Catholic or Jew 
because of their environment and upbringing; like 
father, like son, and so forth. In other words, we were 
born that way. Very few of us are religiously disposed 
because of convictions. We repeat, then, we should 
respect one another’s church affiliations. 

Thinking back for a couple of years, we are re¬ 
minded of an experience quite apropos in this connec¬ 
tion. An evangelist was holding a series of religious 
services in our town, having been conducted in a 
'‘tabernacle,” in which nearly all the Protestant 
churches united. Immense crowds attended and many 
people were persuaded to change their ways of living 
and began to entertain different views of life. Many 
a broken-hearted mother rejoiced over her “wander¬ 
ing boy’s return” and great joy came to many a home. 
At that time, the writer made no profession of re¬ 
ligion, paid no attention to the subject, and rarely 
ever darkened a church door. The church or God or re¬ 
ligion had no place or part in the program of our life. 
The Bible was, indeed, a sealed book, as we seldom 
took it in our hand even, let alone reading it. In 
other words, we lived a truly pagan life in the midst 
of a Christian community, and we are sorry to say, 
like millions are doing today in Christian America. In 
those days, we spent most of our evenings in the 
American Legion rooms, and there we mingled with 
Protestants, Catholics, Jews and some of no religious 
persuasion. During the progress of these tabernacle 
meetings, we noticed a gradual thinning out and dis- 



70 


K. K. K. 


covered that many of our members were attending 
the services. Once coming under their influence and 
spell, the Legion affairs became tame and unattractive, 
and thus our attendance decreased steadily. 

There was a certain boy, whom we will call Jack 
Oatman, who took great delight in throwing slurs at 
the fellows who began to attend the evangelistic serv¬ 
ices. He referred to the evangelist and the Protestant 
ministers and the lay-leaders as “Blue Noses.'^ Every 
night we used to hear him remark, “Well, the Blue 
Noses got so-and-so last evening,” and laughed with 
unconcealed scorn. Many of his witticisms and sallies, 
made at the expense of some of the boys who had been 
at the meetings and dropped in for a chat at the close 
of the services, caused them to blush and feel “sheep¬ 
ishly,” while others greeted his remarks with great 
glee and admiration, and many of the boys had not the 
courage to return to the Legion rooms for even social 
functions, because they feared the sneers and jibes 
of Oatman. As Easter approached, however, John Cat- 
man attended his church with much fidelity, and even 
tried to persuade others to go along with him. Now, 
had any Protestant made a tenth part of the insulting 
and slanderous remarks against his church and relig¬ 
ion that Oatman had vomited forth against the taber¬ 
nacle meetings and their leaders, we could have had a 
full-orbed fight any evening almost during Lent. It 
is up to Roman Catholics, clerical and lay, to learn to 
respect the Protestant faith and its followers. They 
should be willing to accord to other religionists what 
they expect from those who differ from them. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


71 


People of the type of Oatman are a nuisance in 
any community—denominational pests, church busy- 
bodies, and generators of enemity and ill-will. Any 
man who is continually stirring up religious strife and 
race hatred ought to be ostracized from the commun¬ 
ity, or transported to Van Dieman's Land. Evidently, 
the best way to make a friend is to kill an enemy— 
with kindness. Thank God, the majority of folk in 
every community are neighborly and friendly-disposed. 
So may it continue! 



72 


K. K. K. 


CHAPTER VII 

The Klan and the Colored People 

Another question is often on the lips of certain 
folk, namely, why is the Klan opposed to the colored 
people? But is the Klan opposed to the negro? The 
colored people think and say so. We have been told 
that many colored persons will stand with trembling 
limbs and fear spread all over their faces when they 
see a Klan parade or even hear the K. K. K. mentioned. 
But, really, have the colored people any legitimate rea¬ 
son to fear or be hostile to the Ku Klux Klan ? The old 
Klan may have been originally organized to combat 
unscrupulous and criminal negroes and to try to put 
an end to their outrages and evil designs. But it also 
opposed the depredations and despoilations of the 
wicked whites. It is, therefore, wrong to say, as some 
people claim, that the Klan was primarily organized 
to oppress the colored folk and keep them in subjection. 
The K. K. K. declares it is in nowise opposed to the 
black man, but that it wishes to help the colored race, 
whenever possible and necessary, and that it is con¬ 
tinually helping them as individual^ It is claimed 
that the K. K. K. makes donations to (Colored churches 
in the same manner as it assists the churches of white 
people—absolutely no difference. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


73 


Of course, the Klan does not permit colored men 
to join their ranks. The same thing is true of nearly 
all fraternal orders, such as the Masons, Odd Fellows, 
Knights of Pythias and so forth. Indeed, the colored 
people have similar lodges of their own, with prac¬ 
tically the same rituals, passwords, secrets, etc. The 
K. K. K. claims that there is no good reason why the 
colored people may not form a Ku Klux Klan of their 
own, and, as far as the writer knows, such an institu¬ 
tion may exist in America. Indeed, we were credibly 
informed that some months ago a Klan gathering took 
place in an adjoining state, which was attended by 
some 20 colored men, for a general invitation had been 
extended. Those negroes were so favorably impressed 
with what a distinguished speaker said, and with the 
general character and demeanor of the meeting, that 
they approached the speaker and others in authority 
and inquired if it were not possible for the colored peo¬ 
ple to form a Klan of their own race. If they could get 
permission to organize they were anxious to do so and 
hoped for assistance from the officers of the K. K. K. 
So, in this particular instance, at least, some colored 
men had no fear in associating with Klansmen. 

The Klan emphatically states that it is not hostile 
to the colored race, as such, and intends it no harm, 
but, on the contrary, desires to render it all the help 
possible; nevertheless, it is opposed to ‘‘bad niggers” 
and will do all in its power to deter such from the com¬ 
mission of unnamable crimes, which, too often are per¬ 
petrated in our communities, both north and south. 
The Klan emphatically says these things must stop 



74 


K. K. K. 


and stop speedily. Colored men who are guilty of 
such deeds will bring down condign punishment on 
their heads, especially if the proper authorities do not 
act promptly. No sensible person will condemn a whole 
lodge, church, or race because one or more of its mem¬ 
bers commit crimes or offenses against the body poli¬ 
tic. To do so would be unfair, unjust and un-Chris¬ 
tian, indeed, immoral. One thing ought to be said 
here, and said impressively and fearlessly, namely, 
when any particular individual, offends against society, 
flagrantly and unpardonably, the organization to which 
he unfortuantely happens to belong, whether church or 
lodge, should not be condemned in a wholesale way, 
neither should the race or party be unsparingly de¬ 
nounced, as is too often the case, even by people who 
ought to know better. And another thing ought to 
be said also, to wit: when one of their number does 
commit an indefensible act, whether against a white 
or a black person, everyone should do all in his power 
to bring the offender to justice and not seek to justify 
his crime or to conceal him. Only in this way can so¬ 
ciety be properly safeguarded and the constituted au¬ 
thorities assisted in the performance of their duties. 

We know of a particular case in Armstrong county 
which occurred in a mining community, where a col¬ 
ored woman was shot dead, in the presence of six other 
people of the same race, one of whom, indeed, was the 
deceased’s husband, another a niece, and all of them 
old friends; and yet each one denied the shooting and 
averred he or she did not know who committed the 
murder, as each claimed to have been looking in the 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


75 


opposite direction when the deed was done. And yet, 
the way the woman was shot proved conclusively that 
she herself did not do the shooting, and, moreover, she 
was killed with her husband’s revolver. And whether 
it was in a fight or the result of an accident, no one 
knows except those who were present. The husband 
was arrested, tried for murder and the other five held 
as material witnesses, and all at great expense to the 
county, for in Pennsylvania the law provides that any 
person held as a material witness must be paid wit¬ 
ness fees for each day so held. At the trial the de¬ 
fendant was acquitted, for the court instructed the 
jury to bring in a verdict of “not guilty.” The jurors 
were correctly instructed, for there was no evidence 
given upon which a verdict of guilty could be sus¬ 
tained. 

It is needless to say that part, if not all of those 
present positively knew how the woman met her death, 
but they deliberately perjured themselves or avoided 
telling the truth. The noise of a shot in a room would 
instantly attract the attention of all present, whether 
looking in one direction or another, and we believe 
everyone knew how it happened. If it had been oc¬ 
casioned by a quarrel, doubtless, it was preceded by 
angry words and threats and if it had been merely 
accidental, why did not those persons frankly tell the 
whole story and thus clear up the mystery? In that 
case, however, there would have been nothing to con¬ 
ceal. 

It does not require much reflection to see the 
great danger to society lurking in circumstances of 



76 


K. K. K. 


that character. If a white person had been murdered 
by a room full of colored people, and they all denied 
any knowledge of the crime, not one of them would 
have been believed, and, doubtless, a mob would have 
been formed and a ^‘hanging party'’ held, as is fre¬ 
quently done in the Southland, and a small race war 
precipitated into the bargain. 

We remember another case we tried, in which a 
peaceable and law-abiding colored man, according to 
the testimony of his neighbors, both white and black, 
had shot another colored man who had been for years 
annoying and provoking him in every possible way. 
There were six colored witnesses who were conversant 
with the facts of the shooting, but who all concealed 
all the evidence they had. Fortunately, however, three 
white men, in passing, had seen nearly all the details 
of the shooting and their evidence cleared the matter 
up. 

Moreover, several cases of colored men have been 
tried for too frequent and too free use of the knife, 
and we have met with the same stubbornness and ob- 
stinancy in the colored witnesses. Usually the in¬ 
jured parties would leave the community ere the cases 
came to court, or withdraw the charges during court, 
and that, after the county authorities had been put to 
considerable expense for hospital treatment and medi¬ 
cal attention. In the majority of instances that come 
before the courts, colored people think it easy and 
clever to avoid the law, and desirable to do "‘by hook 
or by crook," often “hy crook!” It is easily seen 
that much danger hangs on such proceedings. The 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


77 


respectable colored folks should do all in their power 
to impress upon their own people the menace there is 
in trying to defeat the law and the great need of law 
observance and respect for all our ideals and institu¬ 
tions, that, in the final analysis, make for the well 
being and betterment of all races and peoples within 
our borders! 

It is not too much to say, then, that all good col¬ 
ored people would, doubtless, welcome an organization 
such as the Ku Klux Klan, which could be made to 
function in behalf of the colored people themselves, 
which they would officer and control, and could them¬ 
selves make an uplifting force, standing for American 
institutions and observance and enforcement of all 
laws, whether civic, state or federal. Such an organi¬ 
zation could do much to protect their own law-abiding 
and patriotic people, and at the same time ferret out 
and bring to justice members of their own race who 
are criminal in their tendencies and conduct. A col¬ 
ored K. K. K. could easily become a terror to negro 
evil-doers, and when accused, either by white or black 
people unjustly, knowing themselves to be innocent of 
any wrong-doing, law-abiding colored folk would know 
to whom to go for assistance and protection. We have 
many colored officers of the law who do an immense 
amount of good, but like white officers, they soon be¬ 
come known to criminals and evil-minded persons, and 
thus become readily avoided. On the other hand, sup¬ 
posing the colored people had their own Ku Klux Klan 
—men who would be on the lookout for criminals and 
other ‘‘undesirable citizens”—what a deterrent force 



78 


K. K. K. 


such an institution would be, when properly managed 
and supported, in bringing to justice men of low type 
and criminal characters? Indeed, such an institution or 
organization could help in the re-making of many a 
young negro, caught in the whirlpool of evil life and 
ways, and succeed in turning such from their folly 
and incipient wickedness into paths of moral and use¬ 
ful lives. 

Happily, we in the north have not yet begun to 
treat the colored criminal like the people in some por¬ 
tions of the south. But if some negroes begin to per¬ 
petrate outrages similar to those of which they are, 
and have been, frequently accused in the Southland, it 
is hard to say what the outcome may be. People of 
the north may take the law into their own hands and 
then mob-rule will be in the saddle, and innocent par¬ 
ties may suffer for the guilt of others. The Klan may 
not be able to remedy such conditions, should they 
ever assume proportions in the north, but a colored 
K. K. K. or similar organization may be able to ac¬ 
complish untold good in that direction. It could have 
its ever-watchful eye on all law-breaking and evil¬ 
designing negroes and immediately and summarily put 
a stop to their machinations and crimes ‘‘in double- 
quick time.'' 

Now, some folk aver that the Ku Klux Klan has 
been the direct cause of much lynching, but statistics 
prove the contrary. During last year—^the year in 
which the K. K. K. has reached its greatest power and 
success thus far—there were fewer lynchings than in 
any year of which we have any record, being about 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


79 


only one-half the number of the preceding years. This, 
undoubtedly, argues potently and emphatically in favor 
of the Klan as a law-abiding institution and as deter¬ 
rent to lynching and evil-doing. Why have there been 
less lynchings in States where mob-rule frequently 
held sway ? Why is lynching, or the “hanging party” 
diminishing in the Southland? Who is responsible for 
such desirable results ? A great many believe the work 
of the K. K. K. is responsible. And, in the North, we 
are aware that crime has been increasing—the after- 
math of the war. If the constituted authorities do 
not act—and the records of many of our large cities 
are not altogether in their favor, as seen in the opposi¬ 
tion General Butler is meeting with from sympathiz¬ 
ers of the under-world in Philadelphia, which could 
easily be duplicated over and over again, in all our 
large cities—^then drastic measures must be taken in 
order to curb the law-violators, whether bootleggers, 
brewers, distillers, saloon-keepers, or the “higher-ups,” 
or none of us will be safe in property, home or per¬ 
son. The Ku Klux Klan says these things must be 
stopped and stopped speedily, wherever there is a 
branch that is ready to function. 

No matter what people generally think of the K. 
K. K., it is incumbent on them to obey the laws of the 
land and to stand for their enforcement, whether they 
like them or not. Law is law and must be obeyed by 
all. If the law is bad or against the common good, 
then there is a remedy provided for its repeal—the 
ballot-box, the inalienable right of every American 
citizen. “Any law that has been legislated in can be 



80 


K. K. K. 


legislated out/’ It is up to the people themselves, for 
in America we are sovereign! It sometimes happens— 
and more’s the shame—that the people who complain 
about our laws are the very persons, in many in¬ 
stances, who do not take time to go to the polls or who 
are not sufficiently interested to vote for or against 
the men who make our laws. It is an old saying, be¬ 
ware of the party who is always crying: “Stop thief, 
stop thief,” for if you grab him, you are very likely to 
get the biggest thief, for many such have bluffed the 
people and escaped by throwing dust in the officers’ 
eyes, or by making a great noise of crooked dealings 
or wrong-doing. 

It is a common trick of the professional poli¬ 
tician to declare eloquently and boisterously that such- 
and-such laws are wrong and ought to be repealed, 
“and if you send me to the legislature or to Congress, 
I will see that they are repealed,” and similar bunk. 
But when elected, it is amusing to see how little change 
is then made in the laws they railed against and the 
old state or national chariot rolls along “in the same 
old way.” How gullible we mortals be! How easily 
we are hoodwinked! There are very few men who 
seek the franchise of a free people who do it from 
purely patriotic motives. Back of all their protesta¬ 
tions “in the interest of the dear people” there is some 
selfish purpose, either the honor there is in the po¬ 
sition, or the financial advantage that will accrue from 
the office. 0, ye gods! Consistency is a priceless 
jewel! History reveals very few men upon whom the 
office has been forced—the general rule is, as we all 
know, “the man almost invariably seeks the office.” 
No doubt, many office-seekers mean well, but the lure 
of gold or the insatiable desire for preferment eats 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


81 


out the unselfish and disinterested motives. Human 
nature is a queer mixture, even at its very perihelion. 

The Klan, with all other thinking and considerate 
folk, doubtless, gives great credit to the colored peo¬ 
ple for the rapid strides they have made within half a 
century or a little more toward a high type of civiliza¬ 
tion. Their achievements have been remarkable. They 
merit the highest commendation—millions of them. 
Among them are many of America's brilliant and 
brainy men, who are worthy of all honor for their ac¬ 
complishments, in spite of the handicaps with which 
they began, when all colored folk under the Stars and 
Stripes were made free men by the stroke of the pen 
in the hand of America’s first and greatest citizen— 
the much beloved and dearly-lamented Abraham Lin¬ 
coln! It is up to the leaders of the black race in 
America to train and educate their less fortunate 
brothers to become law-abiding citizens, honoring and 
fearing God, respecting their white neighbors, cherish¬ 
ing our national ideals and institutions, and working 
with others of paler hue for the up-building of all that 
is best and noblest in our New World civilization. This 
is the Klan’s wish and prayer, so it declares. How, 
then, can the K. K. K. be opposed to the negro? The 
Klan is looking hopefully forward to the day when all 
prejudices shall disappear, when mob-law and lynch- 
ings shall become things of the past, and when all the 
disagreeable things, the crimes of which we read and 
which we deplore and execrate, shall be regarded by 
future generations, much as we regard the ghost and 
witch stories of past ages! 



82 


K. K. K. 


CHAPTER VIII 
The Klan and the Immigrant 

May foreign-born naturalized citizens become mem¬ 
bers of the Ku Klux Klan? We are authoritatively in¬ 
formed that they cannot. At first sight, this seems 
to raise a legitimate objection against the organization. 
There are many persons in America that were born 
in a foreign clime, but whose patriotism and loyalty 
no one can question for one moment. It does seem a 
hardship that such men should be excluded from mem¬ 
bership, if they feel disposed to identify themselves 
with the Klan. 

^ One of the foundation principles of the order is 
unquestioned and unqualified allegiance to the Ameri¬ 
can government, and all Ku Kluxers must be beyond 
all suspicion of political affiliation with, or doing hom¬ 
age to, any foreign power, government or potentate 
whatsoever. Doubtless, there are hundreds of thou¬ 
sands of true-hearted and loyal Americans, notwith¬ 
standing the fact that they were born in other lands 
—everyone of them one-hundred percent Americans— 
who are debarred from joining the Klan. We are in¬ 
terested in this aspect of Ku Klux Klanism and are, 
therefore, led to inquire. What is the reason? Why 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


83 


discriminate between the native and foreign-born 
American, when one is just as loyal as the other, dif¬ 
fering only in the matter of nativity, which neither 
could help, as nothing one could possibly do could 
change his status in the least? Many reasons have 
been advanced but one appealed to us as quite original 
and answered our query as satisfactorily as any of 
the others. It was stated in this way: 

A certain man had a grocery store for a number 
of years and did a very remarkable business. How¬ 
ever, when he took an inventory of his stock and dis¬ 
covered that he had not made much money and that 
he was not much better off than when he started, 
be began to look around for the reason. He had worked 
hard, had not speculated, was not extravagant, had a 
good location and honest clerks, knew that he had 
made a fair profit, and wondered why he had not made 
more money. After much thought, he finally located 
the leakage —had debts. He had trusted Tom, 
Dick and Harry to the extent of thousands of dollars 
and knew he could collect very little of it, if any, and 
no matter how hard he tried or what kind of an 
agency he employed, he could not get the delinquent 
bills paid, as most all his debtors seemed ironclad 
against summonses. He found “you can’t pull hair off 
a toad.” The grocer became discouraged and said he 
would rather give his goods to honest folk than to 
those he had trusted, provided he had any to give 
away. People of that type are more dishonest than a 
horse thief and more despicable, too. They not only 
stole his goods, but lied to him as well. So he decided 



84 


K. K. K. 


that before he would support such a class of people 
longer, he would change his method of doing business 
and run a cash trade. In this way, he mused, he 
could sell cheaper and make as much, if not, more 
money, and thus benefit both his honest customers and 
himself. 

He soon discovered, however, that ‘‘the plans of 
mice and men aft gang a^ry,” as Bobby Burns said, 
for he saw that it was practically impossible to do 
business in that way. Why? Because John Jones and 
Tom Smith and dozens of others who had dealt with 
him for years, and had paid him thousands of dollars, 
regularly every payday, and who continued to trade as 
before, and he could not refuse to give such customers 
credit. It was out of the question to say to them, 
“Now, you must pay cash for every article you buy in 
this store after the first of the month.'' So he decided 
to sell out and leave the place, locate elsewhere and 
carry on a cash business. Having succeeded well for 
the first two or three months, he regarded the future 
with much favor and predicted a great business. One 
day, however, wealthy Mr. Smith called and bought 
some “stuff for the wife," but on “going through his 
pockets" found he had neither cash nor check, and 
asked the grocer to “make a memo of it,” which, of 
course, was quickly done, as he desired to accommodate 
such a customer. That was the entering wedge. One 
and another began to get things charged, the clerks 
had permission to do so, until he found it absolutely 
necessary to engage a bookkeeper, with the result that 
the grocer had gotten back into the old groove and 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


85 


soon discovered that he had thousands of dollars "‘out 
on credit/’ which he knew would never be paid. 

That story illustrates the proposition the Klan “is 
up against,” so the members assert. If they wish to 
make their order an-out-and-out and veritably an 
American institution, they must draw the line and 
stick to it steadfastly and unwaveringly in any and 
every instance. Did not our forefathers, when they 
w*rote the Constitution of our Republic, provide that no 
man could become President unless he was born in the 
United States of America? A great many men who 
fought in the War of the Revolution were foreign-born. 
Indeed, some of the very men who drafted our Consti¬ 
tution were born outside of the old U. S. A., but there 
was no objection raised at that time and there has 
been none ever since. Can we not do what we like in 
our own house? Who is there to say us “nay?” At 
that very time—the day of the building of the Consti¬ 
tution—^we had a great man—one of our greatest men 
—Alexander Hamilton, who would have made a truly 
great President, had he not been bom in the West 
Indies. He was one-hundred percent American and 
became our first secretary of the treasury. It is not 
recorded that he ever raised objections to the restric¬ 
tions in our Constitution that debarred him from the 
Presidency, even could he have been elected. And that 
is the right policy—special favor to none. Make the 
law operate all around and apply its provisions im¬ 
partially and unconditionally to all. 

If foreign-born citizens be admitted, who is to say 
who is loyal or disloyal? How are they to be judged 



86 


K. K. K. 


and who are to do the judging? One man may claim 
a certain naturalized citizen is patriotic, while another 
may say the contrary, and there you have it. It is, in¬ 
deed, possible that friendships may operate so power¬ 
fully that unworthy and disloyal persons may be ad¬ 
mitted to membership in the Klan that would finally 
have a tendency to cause disorder, confusion and par¬ 
tial disintegration. 

It is a well-known fact that, in recent years, a cer¬ 
tain class of aliens have been admitted to our country, 
who are not now, nor will they ever become, patriotic 
and loyal Americans. This was discovered during the 
late World War ! How disloyal and ugly thousands 
of them were needs only to be mentioned. Of course, 
there were thousands of others who were just as loyal 
and willing to fight for Uncle Sam as any of our native- 
born citizens. But, by and large, when a lodge lays 
down a rule that only American-born citizens are elig¬ 
ible for membership, it should adhere to it strictly and 
uncompromisingly. Let the bars be once let down and 
the tendency is to loosen up all restrictions all around. 
As said, the grocer broke his cash rule and soon be¬ 
gan to discard it altogether. The conclusion of the ar¬ 
gument is, therefore, that the Klan is justified in the 
attitude it has taken: Only native-born Americans 
are eligible for membership. Otherwise, it would 
cease to be a purely American institution, and there 
would be the possibility, aye, the probability, of ad¬ 
mitting many members who care nothing for our flag, 
our country, our freedom, our ideals, or their oath to 
support the Ku Klux Klan. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


87 


Now, we know that there are many fraternal or¬ 
ders in America composed exclusively of certain '‘na¬ 
tionals,” such as "Sons of Erin,” "Sons of Italy,” and 
so forth. No American-born citizen is eligible for 
membership unless it be the children or grandchildren 
of these nationals. But we American-born do not com¬ 
plain. We put up no howl. We are perfectly satisfied 
that such societies shall exist and thrive in this free 
land, provided they do not violate our laws and show 
disrespect for our Constitution. Then, why should the 
foreign-born citizen object if the Klan excludes him 
from membership? To use a good American slang 
"he has no kick coming.” This is how one foreign-born 
citizen, philosophically and estimably put it, not long 
ago: 

"I understand that I cannot join the Klan because I 
am ineligible. I was born in England, but came here 
when a child. Nevertheless, I would join if I could, 
because I am with the K. K. K., heart and soul. As far 
as I know them, I believe in their principles, what they 
stand for and what they are endeavoring to accom¬ 
plish. If my sons seek my advice, I will surely urge 
them to identify themselves with the organization, for 
I know the Ku Kluxers mean no harm to me nor to 
any other loyal American. The things they claim to 
advocate, I have stood for and have been advocating 
ever since I was a young man, and I am now past sev¬ 
enty years of age. I think I may safely and truly say 
that I am becoming a stronger advocate of those prin¬ 
ciples every day.” 



88 


K. K. K. 


CHAPTER IX 

The Religious Doctrines of the Klan 

And now we come to our last problem, namely, the 
attitude of the Ku Klux Klan towards organized Chris¬ 
tianity, as it is expressed through the Christian Scrip¬ 
tures, the Church and Religion. The Klan’s attitude 
is practical rather than theoretical. It is intensely 
ethical. It does not emphasize denominationalism—it 
is undenominational or inter-denominational. It be¬ 
lieves uncompromisingly and absolutely in the Prot¬ 
estant interpretation of the Bible and believes, more¬ 
over, that every red-blooded citizen should be definitely 
and irrevocably allied to some branch of the Christian 
Church. 

On Sunday, January 20, 1924, we attended a meet¬ 
ing that had been advertised as purely patriotic, and 
the doors were thrown open to all regardless of race 
or religion. We have always entertained the idea that 
all men should worship God as they pleased, and had a 
Roman Catholic service or gathering been announced 
and a public invitation extended, we would have con¬ 
sidered it a privilege to hear a priest expound the doc¬ 
trines of his church. We submit that men should al¬ 
ways be willing to listen to the other side of any im¬ 
portant question. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


89 


This meeting was called to explain the symbolism 
and tenets of the Ku Klux Klan and was addressed 
by two local ministers of the Gospel, who spoke elo¬ 
quently and intelligently, and utterly devoid of railing 
or hostility to any church or other organization. In¬ 
deed, no reasonable or sensible person could possibly 
have taken offense. One speaker stated that the re¬ 
ligious belief of the Klan was found in the 12th chap¬ 
ter of the Epistle to the Romans, and he advised us 
to read the chapter on our return home, carefully and 
with deliberation. On reading the chapter we found 
these words: “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he 
thirst, give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap 
coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but 
overcome evil with good.” And this, practically, is the 
teaching of the whole chapter. Can any person be 
offended at such teaching? If so, why? If the Klan 
practices such teaching, how is it possible that any¬ 
one should take offense? 

In these days, great confusion exists and debates 
are in order between the fundamentalists and the mod¬ 
ernists. It is very comforting to thoughtful laymen to 
know that in all periods of human history there have 
been doctrinal quarrels and heresy-hunting expeditions 
which have flourished for a brief while and then have 
been relegated into oblivion. Theological controver¬ 
sies have their little day and then pass away. Nations 
and kingdoms rise and fall, but God’s word and His 
Church goes marching on. Man’s beliefs and disbe¬ 
liefs after all have very little weight in the scales of 
time. Henry Ward Beecher said: “God asks no man 



90 


K. K. K. 


whether he will accept life. You must take it. The 
only choice is how.’^ We are never consulted as to 
either our birth or our death. He who gave life takes 
it without even warning us sometimes. Many man¬ 
made theories have been propounded, most of them of 
very little worth, while others have been decidedly 
injurious; but still the old world goes moving on, show¬ 
ing that a Master-mind is behind it all! 

Some folk are greatly perturbed over the discus¬ 
sion as to the origin of man. ‘'Mud, monkey, man'' 
is the order, so it is affirmed by the all-wise, all-know¬ 
ing ones. Of course, say they, we have come up from 
the monkey, and to attempt to dispute it is useless. 
And many attempts have been made, and are still be¬ 
ing made, to educate and train the monkey, hoping to 
make a man out of him. But the monkey steadfastly 
refuses to become a man, thinking probably there is 
more hope of man degenerating into a monkey than 
the reverse. Man has accomplished some wonderful 
things, but he has made no headway along that line, 
however. While man teaches a monkey many tricks, 
amusing to witness, there is no record that the monkey 
has been able to hand down his acquired training to 
his offspring. Apparently, all his education dies with 
him, and no matter how accomplished a particular 
monkey seems to be, he imparts nothing to his pos¬ 
terity. If man came from monkey, there is absolutely 
no evidence of the theory—no historical record, not a 
single one. It is a mere hypothesis from beginning to 
end. It is questionable whether the learned men who 
write and teach such stuff really believe it themselves. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


91 


It is said that wherever man is found—in the jungles 
of India, the wilds of New Zealand, veldts of Africa, 
the mountains of China, the habitats of the American 
Indian—and no matter how low in the moral scale, he 
believes in some Being or Beings greater and higher 
than himself. The heathen know very little about their 
history, as they are not very well versed in the science 
of anthropology, so we are informed, and what little 
they do know of their origin goes back to their mytho¬ 
logies, but one thing has come down to them as a com¬ 
mon possession, namely, their belief in some kind of a 
god or gods. They differ in their forms of worship 
and prayers, but they have one fundamental idea of a 
superior Something or Somebody somewhere. So, too, 
in civilized lands, people differ in their forms of wor¬ 
ship and their conceptions of Deity but men every¬ 
where believe in an all-supreme Power that controls 
this old universe. You can place a small turtle miles 
from a stream of water, even though it has never seen 
water before, and it will make a bee-line to the near¬ 
est stream. A young duck will jump into the water 
without any training, but a chicken fears water. Why 
this difference? It is horn in them. So, too, we 
may rest assured that the religious concept is an 
in-born thing. Man everywhere believes two things 
irresistibly, unconquerably and stubbornly, namely: 

(1) That there is a Supreme Power somewhere, and 

(2) that there is a Future Life—another state of ex¬ 
istence somewhere. These two concepts are the in¬ 
eradicable possessions of the human race—of all colors 
and all climes. 



92 


K. K. K. 


Someone has said that “man is incurably religi¬ 
ous.” From what we know of the Ku Klux Klan the 
same assertion might be made of it. As said, it is 
not a denominational organization, but it does empha¬ 
size the religious concept. It accepts the Genesis story 
of man’s creation and fall into sin. It does not go so 
much on theory as on fact. It accepts also what the 
Bible records regarding Noah and the Flood and finds 
no reason to doubt its universality—that the anti- 
diluvian world was destroyed because of the wicked¬ 
ness of men. “God saw that the wickedness of man 
was great in the earth, and that every imagination of 
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the 
earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord 
said: I will destroy man whom I have created from the 
face of the earth; both man, beast and the creeping 
thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me 
that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the 
eyes of the Lord.” 

But notwithstanding the goodness and mercy of 
the Lord in sparing Noah and his family in the ark 
and the covenant He made with them, the record is 
that the human family soon fell into sin again. Com¬ 
ing down to the time of Abraham, we find God giving 
man another chance and through him making provi¬ 
sion whereby His Son might come into the world to re¬ 
deem it. And later God gave His law to Moses in 
the Ten Commandments, but while His servant was up 
in the mountain to receive the law, the people of Israel 
relapsed into idolatry and made and worshiped a 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


93 


golden calf—not the last golden calf worshiped by- 
man, even in modern times, as we all know! And we 
find the Lord saying to Moses, “Now, therefore, let 
me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, 
and that I may consume them; and I will make of thee 
a great nation/' But Moses was not thinking of him¬ 
self but besought God not to destroy His people. “And 
the Lord repented of the evil, which he thought to do 
unto His people." If men today would do as Moses did 
and not think alone of themselves, but of others also^ 
this world would be a much better place in which to 
live and we would soon get rid of our petty jealousies 
and misunderstandings and all the, nations would live 
and work in harmony. 

Finally, another and the last chance was given 
man. Then God Himself came to earth in the Person 
of His Son, Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth, and 
the embodiment of the Father’s love. He came not in 
pomp and earthly power, as the Jews expected the Mes¬ 
siah to come, but was born in an inn and cradled in a 
manger—lowly and humble and meek. Therefore, the 
nation rejected Him. On one occasion, when the Bap¬ 
tist was in prison, having been incarcerated by Herod, 
he seems to have been in doubt as to the real mission of 
Christ, and he sent some of his disciples to Jesus, say¬ 
ing: “Who art thou?" Jesus replied by saying: “Go 
your way and tell John what things you have seen 
and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers 
are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the 
poor the Gospel is preached. And blessed is he who 
shall not be offended in me." Did John believe? No 



94 


K. K. K. 


one ever questions that. In due time, Jesus came to 
the cross of shame and suffering and expired there, 
the just for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, 
that He might redeem us from the curse of the law 
and ultimately bring the world back to God. 

All this the Ku Klux Klan believes; and, moreover, 
believes that this Gospel of the Son of God should be 
preached and practiced everywhere by all who accept 
Jesus as Master and Lord. If this be the belief of the 
Klan, then why should any real Protestant object to 
it as an organization ? Indeed, ought it not to be com¬ 
mended and encouraged, for, did not Jesus say, when 
some of His disciples told Him that they saw one cast¬ 
ing out devils in His name and they forbade him, ‘‘For¬ 
bid him not; for there is no man which shall do a 
miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. 
For he that is not against us is on our part?” Is it 
not better that men should gather in a hall or lodge- 
room with their brethren, who all believe in the Bible, 
the Church and true religion than to be associated with 
men who blaspheme the name of God, repudiate the 
Church of Christ, and look upon religion as “old wom¬ 
en's fables?” We have heard it said that some Klans- 
men, who were formerly indifferent to religion, who 
cared little for the church and less for the Word of 
God, have affiliated themselves, heart and soul with the 
church of their choice and are now among its most 
ardent and faithful members. Klansmen like the old- 
time, old-fashioned Gospel. They do not appreciate 
adulterated truth. They like to hear the Gospel 
in all its fulness and power. Instead of sermonettes 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


95 


on sociological and moral problems, as some of our 
evangelical ministers sometimes preach today—^very 
few, thank God!—Klansmen want to hear sermons 
that come “hissing-hof from the heart—^full of spirit¬ 
ual pathos and the power of the Holy Spirit. We heard 
a Klansman speak of a certain evangelical minister 
who was holding revival meetings and for the first 
five days the name of Christ was never once mentioned. 
It is very evident that not much good was accomplished 
in those meetings. They most certainly lacked the 
'^dynamic.'' People must become acquainted with the 
spirit and power of Jesus Christ before very much 
good can be done or any great transformations 
wrought in the lives of the unconverted. Doubtless, 
the addresses were eloquent and the teaching morally 
good, but they were not sufficient to arouse the sinner 
and awaken him to a sense of his condition before 
God, so that he would have to cry out: ^What must I 
do to be saved?’' A real revival brings sinners to re¬ 
pentance and they take Jesus as their Savior and 
Lord. 

We are glad to be able to state authoritatively, 
that the Ku Klux Klan stands four-square on the Deity 
of Christ. They say they hold in contempt a minister 
of any of the evangelical denominations—be he Bap¬ 
tist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, or what-not— 
who slurs the Godhood of Jesus Christ. Of course, any 
man has a right to his individual belief, but he should 
be honest enough, indeed, manly enough, to step down 
and out of the pulpit of a church with whose doctrines 
he finds himself at variance. Notwithstanding the 



96 


K. K. K. 


claim of modernists, the Deity of Christ is fundamental 
in Christianity and the Christian Church. The Klan 
claims that belief in the Virgin Birth and the super¬ 
natural element is woven into the very woof and web 
of New Testament Christianity. It further claims, 
what is evident to the candid and discriminating mind, 
that to reject these doctrines—the Deity of Christ, the 
Virgin Birth and the supernatural element—would 
constitute a repudiation of the New Testament narra¬ 
tive, and would require such a reconstruction of Chris¬ 
tian faith, and such a method of Scripture interpreta¬ 
tion as would lead to the surrender of all the great 
historical features of Christianity. What would John 
Wesley say, and the other great men of the Christian 
centuries who held uncompromisingly to these doc¬ 
trines, if they were to return to earth and find their 
followers repudiating the miraculous elements in 
Christianity? Better imagined than answered. Pos¬ 
sibly, the greatest enemies of the Church are those 
within its own portals. The late President Harding 
once said: “This country has nothing to fear from 
enemies without but only from within.’' Professor 
Skelky—^the youthful Australian—said recently that, 
in talking to Mohammedans and inquiring if they in¬ 
tended to renew their fight against Christianity, they 
replied that they did not need to do so, as Christians 
were fighting among themselves and undermining their 
own religion. It is, indeed, a sad spectacle to see some 
denominations quarreling with each other, and only 
injury and harm can result, both to the individual 
churches, as well as to the Kingdom of God itself. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


97 


Having said all that, it is in order to say this, 
namely, if the Klan believes in these great and funda¬ 
mental doctrines of the Christian Church, and prac¬ 
tices them, as its members claim; and, if the Klan is 
doing all in its power to uphold the principles of Prot¬ 
estant Christianity and the institutions that flourish 
under its shadow and, moreover, if, practically, all 
Klansmen are members of some branch of the Chris¬ 
tian Church, then, says the Klan, ‘‘In the name of com¬ 
mon sense and right reason, why do some prominent 
members and officers in the various churches, includ¬ 
ing ministers and laymen, oppose us?'' We, as an or¬ 
ganization, they say, are interested in the building up 
of the Christian Church, as it is represented in the 
several denominations to be found throughout the 
length and breadth of our land. We do not destroy, 
they say, we build up. We do not tear down, we sup¬ 
port. Indeed, the Klan claims to be the “invisible 
part" of the church instead of an “invisible empire." 
The Klan despises a minister—a leader of a flock— 
who is not true to the “vows of his ordination," as it 
is ecclesiastically denominated. Any man who remains 
in a church, while repudiating its historic doctrines, 
such as these named above, is betraying his trust and 
is “boring from within." They are even worse than 
Benedict Arnold; indeed, they are modern Judas 
Iscariots—they are betraying the Master. It is too 
bad that they persist in clinging to the Church of 
Christ—getting their “sop" in the sense of their liveli¬ 
hood. Instead of endeavoring to lead sinners to the 



98 


K. K. K. 


Cross—which ought to be the chief aim of every min¬ 
ister of the Gospel—they generate church quarrels and 
occasion strife and confusion. 

The Klan is very outspoken and says to such: ‘Tf 
you don’t approve of the doctrines and have changed 
your beliefs, get out and give place to other men who 
are in perfect accord with New Testament Christianity 
and believe the Bible to be the Word of God and the 
Church to be His Body, of which Christ is the Living 
Head. These are the teachings, among others, that the 
Ku Klux Klan stands for uncompromisingly! All who 
join the organization, so the Klan claims, must sub¬ 
scribe to these doctrines. Every candidate is asked 
whether he believes in the Diety of Christ and the 
teachings of the Bible, for the organization stands on 
such a basis, and the answer must be emphatically in 
the affirmative. In addition to these, the Klan insists 
that every candidate shall put American ideals, Ameri¬ 
can laws and institutions and the American govern¬ 
ment first —in fact, that these shall have supreme 
place in his thought and life, as far as his political 
relations are concerned. We have stated these con¬ 
siderations in previous chapters, in one form or an¬ 
other, but they are so important and pre-eminent that 
they need to be restated and re-emphasized. Move- 
over, to reiterate, the Klan stands for free speech, a 
free press, and freedom in religious convictions and 
doctrines. Catholic, Protestant and Jew should have 
these rights and be protected in them without inter¬ 
ference or molestation. 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


99 


The Klan believes that sin does not pay, as the 
Bible frequently declares. It believes also, that it be¬ 
hooves every man to give attention to the things that 
pertain to his immortal interests. “The wages of sin 
is death,” and retribution frequently overtakes the 
blasphemer and the scoffer even in this life. Dire cal¬ 
amity often follows in the wake of the unbeliever. The 
following story is told and carries with it a warning 
to the ungodly: At the close of the Civil War, 13 of¬ 
ficers of the Confederacy met together one evening 
to discuss their return to civilian life. Having lost 
everything during the war, and with finances very low, 
they were very despondent. They “blew in” what they 
had and made merry with eating and drinking. One 
of them noticing they constituted the “unlucky num¬ 
ber,” suggested that they had just enough to repre¬ 
sent “The Last Supper.” One young man was selected 
to impersonate Jesus Christ, while the otners were 
designated by the names of the disciples. They ca¬ 
roused all night and laughed with hellish glee. The 
years passed, however, and without exception, so the 
story goes, each man came to an untimely end. Not 
one of them died a natural death but some were 
drowned, while others were either murdered or swung 
on the gallows. It does not seem reasonable that God, 
with all that we know of His great love and mercy, 
would allow such mockery and contempt for His Son 
to go unpunished—even in this life. As has been said 
frequently, “You cannot flaunt God in the face and 
ultimately get away with it.” The Klan believes in the 
Biblical declaration: “Be sure your sin will find you 



100 


K. K. K. 


out/' Again, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith 
the Lord." 

It is stated on reliable authority, that some days 
before the destruction of the city of Martinique, West 
India Islands, about 20 years ago, the people took a pig 
into the open square and, in the presence of thousands, 
crucified it, in derision of our Lord Jesus Christ. No 
wonder the volcano became active and belched forth 
dust and molten lava that buried the wicked city and 
sent the inhabitants to their doom. Again, it is said 
that in a certain city in Russia, since the close of the 
World War, the people made up three dummies repre¬ 
senting God, the Father; Jesus Christ, our Saviour, 
and the Virgin Mary, and then destroyed them in or¬ 
der to show their hatred for the Christian religion. It 
is not to be wondered at that famine, disease and death 
have been, and still are, stalking the streets of many 
Russian communities and that the people have been 
dying like cattle. 

Further: Rev. Gideon L. Powell, D. D., in his 
“Steps to Success," tells the following incident, cited 
by B. Fay Mills, a successful evangelist: “A certain 
town in Minnesota was founded by infidels some years 
ago that there might be a place in that State where 
the name of God should not be mentioned except in 
terms of profanity or obscenity. They even hung 
Christ on the streets in effigy. The place was full of 
blasphemy. The curse of God seemed to rest upon it. 
It was destroyed by fire and then re-built. This was 
followed by an Indian massacre, with an awful retri¬ 
bution of bloodshed. The town, however, was again 




FRIEND OR FOE? 


101 


re-built. It was again visited by another disastrous 
fire, which partially destroyed it. Some years later a 
riot, with much loss of life and property, took place. 
The vicissitudes of the community were many and 
murders, licentiousness and poverty prevailed. In des¬ 
peration, those who remained appealed to the Ameri¬ 
can Home Missionary Society, saying: ‘Can you not 
send us a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?’ A 
minister was sent, a church erected and a congregation 
built up. That community, with its church spires 
pointing heavenward and with its flourishing schools 
and business interests, has undergone a thorough ref¬ 
ormation—^yea, a transformation. The people go to 
church and the children to Sunday school to learn about 
Him whose name was once heard only in profanity 
and blasphemy. It is as orderly today as any town 
in the State—because of the influence of the Church.” 

We know a certain community in Armstrong 
county where the majority of the population desired 
to change the location of a certain road. Petitions 
were prepared and presented and everything looked 
favorable. But a little opposition arose and one of 
the leaders, who favored the change, said in a boast¬ 
ing way, and with unlimited pomposity, “in spite of 
hell and high water we’ll get that road.” It failed, 
however. They tried again and failed. A third at¬ 
tempt was made, but with the same result. The case 
was tried under two different judges. Three different 
attorneys presented petitions and three different sets 
of road-viewers passed on the question, and yet all 
efforts failed. Had anyone predicted failure at the 



102 


K. K. K. 


first attempt he would have been ''laughed out of 
court/' "Inspite of hell and high water" may not 
seem very blasphemous, but it was a brazen defiance 
thrown into the face of the Almighty. Man forgets 
sometimes that he is a mere pigmy in the great game 
of nature. "We should never count our chickens be¬ 
fore they are hatched." 

Profanity does not pay, nor defiance of the God of 
nature. Let us ever remember that the God of the 
Bible, the God of nature and the God of Providence is 
one Supreme and All-powerful Being. One spring a 
few years ago, the ice was moving swiftly out of the 
Allegheny River, when a by-stander remarked: "If 
that ice should happen to gorge somewhere, it might 
cause heaps of trouble." Then an old man commented: 
"There's nothing this side of hell that could stop that 
ice." It stopped very soon, and in less than 30 min¬ 
utes the water had risen more than 20 feet and was 
almost to the second story of the old man's house." It 
does not pay to be so cocksure in one's blasphemy, 
does it? 

We knew a man who was so profane and obscene 
in his utterances as to make his statements unprint¬ 
able. He frequently defied God, with a shake of his 
fist, and gloried in it. He came to a terrible, horrible 
end, however. His horses ran off and threw him into 
the cutting bars of his mowing machine. Having been 
mangled and torn awfully, he died after many hours of 
intense and unspeakable suffering. 

Of course, these cases are rather conspicuous and 
somewhat spectacular. We may be sure, however, that 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


103 


a great many people meet untimely ends because they 
openly and continually defy God and trample His holy 
name underneath their feet. Flagrant sin brings its 
own reward, and the Nemesis always follows the blas¬ 
phemer. One may avoid retribution for a while and 
seem apparently, ‘‘to get away with it,” but in the long 
run he comes to the end of his tether and “meets his 
Waterloo.” We cannot defy God all the time and “go 
scot free,” to use an American slang. In the final 
round-up, the sinner will surely be caught. Better not 
defy Him! However, no matter how big sinners we 
may be or how mountainous our sins, if we are not too 
proud to repent and too haughty to ask for forgive¬ 
ness, God will pardon all our transgressions and blot 
out all our inquities. The promise is, “Though your 
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, and 
though they be like crimson, they shall be as wool.” 

According to our understanding of the religious 
attitude of the Ku Klux Klan, we have endeavored to 
give an exposition of it; but we do not claim to be 
the “spokesman” for the organization. We are desi¬ 
rous, however, of seeing the Klan put before the hoi 
polloi in a fair and just light. If the aim of the K. K. 
K. is to assist the churches in their great and glorious 
work—^the amelioration of the people in all their rela¬ 
tionships in life—why, then, should men object to its 
presence in a community because of its unusual garb 
and peculiar ceremonies? If the Protestant churches 
believe in the Cross of Christ, why object to the Klan 
burning its Cross ? Why emphasize the paraphernalia 
and the spectacular incidents to the exclusion of its es- 



104 


K. K. K. 


sential features and vital principles ? If the presenta¬ 
tion herein contained be true—and we claim it truly 
represents Ku Klux Klanism—why raise objections? 
Why condemn the organization? If the Klan is a real 
auxiliary to out-and-out Protestantism, the kind that 
definitely and unswervingly and truthfully interprets 
the Scriptures, why all this hullabaloo? If the Klan 
helps to make men more patriotic, if it insists upon 
high moral and religious life for its adherents, if it 
gives the Bible a place of pre-eminence in its thought 
and affections, if it stands by and honors the Church 
of Christ, and advises its members to identify them¬ 
selves with the demonination that best fits their own 
ideas and antecedents, if it upholds and advocates the 
utmost loyalty to the Stars and Stripes and what the 
old flag represents—if the K. K. K. does ail these 
things, we repeat, ‘'Why does any red-blooded, law- 
abiding patriotic American citizen object to its pres¬ 
ence, influence and power in any community ?’' Echo 
says, why? 

We heard an Armistice Day address a few months 
ago, delivered in the High School auditorium. Kittan¬ 
ning, Pa., by the Rev. Tage Teisen, rector of St. Paul's 
Episcopal church, and we reproduce his words, as em¬ 
bodying our thought more fittingly and more felicitous¬ 
ly than we could clothe it: “In the first place we are 
met together here to honor self-sacrifice for others. To 
all these men who departed never to return, home and 
kindred were as dear as our homes and kindred are 
to us. We must try to put ourselves in their place in 
order that we may appreciate fully the value of the 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


105 


sacrifice. How, then, did they feel when they went 
forth? Just as you and I would feel if we were start¬ 
ing out tomorrow morning with nine chances out of 
ten against our returning alive. The soldier knows 
that ahead of him, waiting for him, are sickness, ac¬ 
cident, physical exhaustion as well as death. Our he¬ 
roes knew that. They risked and lost all for others. 
There is no higher sublimity than that: ‘Greater love 
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life 
for his friends.' To keep three-quarters for ourselves 
and give one-quarter for others, that is honorable. To 
keep one-half for ourselves and give one-half to oth¬ 
ers, that is generous. To keep nothing for ourselves 
and give all for others, that is Christ-like. You some¬ 
times hear the term ‘vicarious sacrifice.' Do you know 
what it means? Look at the graves of these soldiers 
and you shall know. Loneliness for others, wounds for 
others, suffering for others, death for others—^vicari¬ 
ous sacrifice! Sacrifice is the great law of life. The 
sacrifice of a mother in giving life to her child, the 
sacrifice of a man in defense of his wife and children, 
the sacrifice of a soldier for his home and country; 
these approximate as closely as any earthly sacrifices 
may the great Sacrifice of Calvary I Verily, ‘Greater 
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down 
his life for his friends.' " 

This is the kind of sacrifice the Klan believes and 
preaches—the sacrifice of true patriotism. It demands 
that its members stand up and be counted, when the 
interests of country, home and church are involved. 
Its members are urged to be pilgrims, missionaries. 



106 


K. K. K. 


messengers for the truth in the ‘‘Homeland'*—^to go 
into the gutters, into places of iniquity, to the slums, 
anywhere, wherever men and women gather, and try 
to lift them out of their hovels and dens of shame and 
inquity and set before the unfortunates — many of 
them “more sinned against than sinning"—a better, 
nobler, higher type of life and endeavor. The Klan 
suggests that their members who know Christ and 
have a real religious experience go into the highways 
and byways and compel the unchurched masses to go 
to some place of worship, some mission hall, some Sal¬ 
vation Army barracks—somewhere where Christ is 
preached and prayers heard and hymns sung—in or¬ 
der that they, too, might come to “know Him, whom 
to know is life eternal." The ethics of the Ku Klux 
Klan is the “Sermon on the Mount." They make love 
to God and one's neighbor the ruling principle of their 
lives—indeed, some of the members are making it a 
passion. As Americans, we need to get away from our 
smugness and mollycoddleism and selfishness and to re¬ 
incarnate in modern life the spirit and passion of our 
Pilgrim Fathers. If America began to practice the 
teaching of the “Sermon on the Mount," how long, 
think you, would competition, jealousy, hate, ill-will 
and the whole brood of such evils, exist? Not long! 
The way America goes, the world will go! 

Let us think on these things: “Ye have heard 
that it hath been said. Thou shalt love thy neighbor, 
and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you. Love your 
enemies, bless them which curse you, do good to them 
that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


107 


you and persecute you; That ye may be the children 
of your Father which is in heaven; for He maketh 
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and send- 
eth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love 
them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not 
even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your 
brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not 
even the publicans the same? Be ye, therefore, per¬ 
fect, even as your Father which is in heaven is per- 
fect.^^ 

Benjamin Franklin said that in order to remedy 
his faults, he used each evening to mark down the 
things done through the day and the next day endeavor 
to avoid them. He tells of a man who was his enemy 
and with whom he desired to become friendly. Having 
heard that he had a certain book, Franklin decided to 
try to borrow the same. His request was granted and 
his enemy seemed greatly pleased. The mere fact that 
Franklin condescended to ask him for the loan of a 
book brought about a reconciliation. Goodwill and af¬ 
fection ever after manifested themselves in the atti¬ 
tude of the quondam enemy. Hence, **to get rid of an 
enemy, make a friend of him.’' 

The Klan believes that practical religion is the 
great desideratum of the hour. Not long prayers, or 
great religious ceremonies, or ecclesiastical ostenta¬ 
tions, but the spirit of Jesus Christ in ‘‘daily contacts” 
—in business, in politics, in social life, indeed, in 
church life, too—incorporated and crystalized in con¬ 
duct. This is America’s greatest need, and this old 
world’s, too. 



108 


K. K. K. 


Doubtless, it will be news, and rather surpris¬ 
ing, to the cold and unsympathetic public, to be in¬ 
formed that prayer occupies a very large place in the 
lodge and life of the K. K. K. We remember passing 
through a cemetery some years ago and read an epi¬ 
gram on a tombstone that made a lasting impression. 
The words were something like the following: 

“Friend, as you pass by, just think of me. 

As you are now, so once was I; 

As I am now, so you will be. 

Prepare for death, and follow me.” 

We stopped and began to think. Were they not true? 
Yes, verily! How prepare? How better can we pre¬ 
pare than by living always in the attitude of prayer? 
When the burdens are heavy and the load too great 
to carry, prayer will bring relief. When the way looks 
hard, and the sky is overcast with clouds, and the 
storms are raging and the soul is in great distress, let 
us ever remember, that 

“There is a place where Jesus sheds, 

The oil of gladness on our heads; 

A place than all besides more sweet, 

It is the blood-bought mercy seat.” 

Indeed, when all seems dark and lost, prayer can 
clear the way and brighten life with hope and trust. 
There are sons and daughters, doubtless, who have 
never heard their fathers and mothers pray. If pa¬ 
rents Epent more time in prayer than fooling life 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


109 


away in little nothings and social events of no earthly 
value other than the fleeting pleasure of the moment, 
we should not have as many parents asking, ''Where 
is my wandering boy, tonight? "We should not have 
as many mothers weeping over wayward daughters. 
Possibly, there are some people who think only the 
"goody-goody, weak-sister, wishy-washy'' folk pray! 
Not on your life! It is the other-way-about. No one, 
however great in the social or financial world, should 
for one moment think he is belittling himself by pray¬ 
ing. Some people possess the spirit of old Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar: "This is great Babylon that I have built." 
What! I pray? Yes, you ought to pray. Did not Jesus 
say, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint?" 

Indeed, it is cowardly not to pray! Then be a man. 
A brave man prays, but a coward shrinlcs from it. 
Prayer will lift any man or woman into a better and 
nobler life. The prayer-life ennobles and beautifies 
men anywhere and everywhere. We wish to illustrate 
by citing another story from "Steps to Success," by 
Dr. Powell, of Ford City, Pa., pastor of Ford Memo¬ 
rial Methodist Episcopal church, which he quotes from 
an article written by Norman Duncan, of Labrador 
fame, written in the Century Magazine, entitled "The 
Kegenerate": 

The man was converted in the Bowery Mission, 
New York City. He was of English birth, a 'varsity 
man, and had been an officer in the British army. He 
was ruined by drink. For it he sacrificed everything; 
his prospects, his friendships, his mother's life. To 
satisfy the craving for drink became the sole object of 



110 


K. K. K. 


his existence. For 20 years he had ^iven himself to 
it, both body and soul. His most successful scheme 
to obtain money was by reciting selections, which 
were usually from Kipling. ‘‘The Recessional” and “A 
Barrack-Room Ballad” took well. “Really,” he says, 
“Kipling fairly kept me in drink.” He would carry 
a little pocket-map, by the use of which, as long as 
he was sober enough, he would go from one city to 
another, being careful not to appear in any community 
too often. Low, indeed, had the man fallen. 

Yet the distinction of classes existed for him. 
However drunk he might be, when in company that 
was lower in the social scale than he esteemed him¬ 
self, no intimacies were permitted. How utterly bank¬ 
rupt he was of all that gathers around a man which 
one counts to be worthwhile! “Of substance, nothing; 
of the things of the spirit, nothing. Hope, courage, loy¬ 
alty, truth; I had parted with these long ago. My 
will, my conscience were gone. I had no ties, no help¬ 
er, no friends, no home whatever. I had nothing in my 
pockets. A handkerchief? Nonsense! A toothbrush? 
O, come now 1 A key? My word! Of all things 1” 

If one wants to know what it is to have an uncon¬ 
trollable passion, let him read this pitiful recital. The 
story of an unsuccessful attempt to save a dollar with 
which to buy an overcoat ! He can save 25 cents, even 
50; but no more. The master-passion comes in, and 
all the savings are gone in a rush. And then there is 
the unexpected luck, when a quarter falls into his 
hands. That means fifteen cents for a bed, and two 
drinks of whisky. But he never gets the bed. Such 





FRIEND OR FOE? 


Ill 


men seldom do. Even that necessity is sacrificed to the 
appetite. One drink. Two drinks. There is no stint 
now until every penny is gone. 

And now the man is down—^far, far down. Seven 
times he has delirium tremens. He is so foul that at 
last he is kicked out from the cellar, where his finer 
fellows are allowed to spend the night on the floor if 
they have the price of one drink. But he has become 
too filthy to be permitted to remain even in such com¬ 
pany. So now he is out in the park, begging for a 
drink. Two men are asked to give; but they say that 
this is not what he needs. So, for what he can get out 
of it, not because he is interested in religion, he fol¬ 
lows them into the mission. There it is his mother^s 
hymn that he hears, 

^‘Rock of ages, cleft for me.’" 

All the memories of the past rush over his soul. 
Drunk as he is, he listens to those who testify. One 
after another, they declare they were once as he is 
now. “Will he give God a chance in his life?^' He re¬ 
members the strong, kindly man who asks this ques¬ 
tion; a man who had also come up out of the pit. He 
is moved to yield, and he goes forward for what these 
men have and for what his soul seeks—salvation. The 
lost is found. His remarkable testimony is that from 
that moment the craving for drink left him. He ex¬ 
perienced the power of a new affection. He knew what 
Paul meant when he said: “If any man be in Christ 
Jesus, he is a new creature.” 

The testimony closes: “I have not wanted a drink 
since that moment. I did want a bath instantly, but I 



112 


K. K. K. 


was too dirty to be given one without precaution—I 
wanted to he clean. What a night that was! A night 
when hope, truth, love, pure ambition came back! And 
I was sober, and I was not at all afraid!'’ Then fol¬ 
lows this: ‘‘A perfect physical health; a salary of 
$3,000.00; seven brothers in the faith, converted from 
a life of sin and now working with Him." 

Indeed, religion—and prayer—is profitable for 
health, friendship, reputation, domestic happiness, 
wealth and a peace of mind that passeth knowledge! 
It pays; prayer pays! 

It is said that in some places, the spirit of opposi¬ 
tion to the K. K. K. is so strong and the feeling of hos¬ 
tility so rampant, that it almost amounts to actual per¬ 
secution. Happily, however, there will never be per¬ 
petrated again the violence and bloodshed and crimes 
of the persecutions of the centuries gone by, but the 
spirit may be as rife and real as ever. Christian his¬ 
tory bears testimony to the opposition and resistance 
that confront every great religious movement and 
every great religious reformer. As corroboration of 
this fact, we have simply to bear in mind Savonarola 
and the great moral and spiritual reform he instituted 
and the influences that radiated therefrom. No mat¬ 
ter how great the opposition, when any organization 
gives itself up to improve moral and spiritual condi¬ 
tions, and men dedicate themselves to God, whether in 
the Church or in the Ku Klux Klan, they can accom¬ 
plish wonders. Men marvel at the work of the great 
Reformer of Florence, because in his day he changed 
the entire life and complexion of that wicked, blasphe- 




FRIEND OR FOE? 


113 


mous and profligate city. Indeed, he put the Chris¬ 
tian spirit into the Church and generated reformatory 
influences that in later centuries materially trans¬ 
formed the civilization, not only of Europe, but the 
whole world. If we understand the secret of his life, 
there will be no wonder. Indeed, it is just what we 
should naturally expect. After his death, in his cell 
was found this simple thing—simple, yet how much it 
meant to Savonarola and the people of Florence! On 
the wall he had placed a large X—the symbol of the 
Christ. Over the X he put the letters L. U., which 
with the X spelled Lux, the Latin word for light— 
which meant that Christ was his light. To the right 
he placed the letters, L. E., which with the X spelled 
Lex, the Latin word for law—which meant that Christ 
was his law. Underneath he wrote the letters, P. A., 
which with the X spelled Pax, the Latin word for 
peace—which meant that Christ was his peace. To 
the left he placed the letters R. E., which with the 
X spelled Rex, the Latin word for king—which mer.nt 
that Christ was his King. Hence we find that Christ 
was his light, law, peace and King; that is, central¬ 
ized life in Jesus Christ—“Christ was his all and in 
all.'' It is no marvel, then, that he gave himself 
for the salvation of the Florentines. It is no wonder 
that he was fearless in rebuking the sins of his day 
and in pressing home on the people the claims of reli¬ 
gion! If v/e will only think and do as Savonarola 
thought and did, we would have no differences between 
Jew and Gentile, Catholic and Protestant, white and 
black. Knights of Columbus and the Ku Klux Klan. 




114 


K. K. K. 


Away up in the Allegheny mountains there is a 
spring so small that a single ox, on a summer day, 
could drain it dry. It steals its unobtrusive way among 
the hills, on down through towns and villages, pass¬ 
ing through Kittanning, the home of the writer, until 
it merges into the beautiful Ohio river. Thence it 
stretches away a thousand miles, leaving on its banks 
more than a hundred villages and towns and many a 
prosperous and cultivated farm. Then joining the 
mighty Mississippi—the Father of Waters, as we 
Americans love to speak of it—it wanders on for some 
twelve hundred miles more, till it falls into the great 
gulf—^the Gulf of Mexico, the emblem of eternity. That 
little stream, uniting with other rivers, becomes a 
great tributary to the Atlantic Ocean, and is finally 
swallowed up in the ocean depths. So with every 
good and spiritual influence, and with every useful 
and godly life. 

The members of the Ku Klux Klan love to think 
of their organization as one of the greatest moral, edu¬ 
cational, patriotic and spiritual forces of modern 
times, and in line with all the activities of Protestant 
Christianity, to the limit of their resources and ability. 
The influence the organization exerts is for good, and 
nothing but good, the opinions of others notwithstand¬ 
ing. They claim the K. K. K. is founded on the 12th 
chapter of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, and that ev¬ 
eryone of its 21 verses is an exhortation to holiness, 
to recompense good for evil, to live in peace with all 
mankind, to be satisfied with one’s lot, and not to be 
revengeful but to serve the Lord continually, and “with 



FRIEND OR FOE? 


115 


brotherly love in honor preferring one another.” This 
is the magna charta of the order of the Ku Klux Klan. 

If the foregoing pages are a true exposition of the 
principles and teachings and objectives of the K. K. 
K.—and we verily believe it is—then, how can people 
oppose the Klan, or wish to destroy its influence ? And 
why? 

In conclusion: One brief sentence closes the bio¬ 
graphy of every man, namely, "‘And he died.” There 
is the end of it—‘‘and he died.” “It is appointed unto 
all men once to die.” No matter who we are, or what 
we accomplish, we are all subject to death. Life is 
ever uncertain, but death is always a certainty! But, 

“Our moral life, our influence is not gone 

When the materials bonds around us break; 

In other minds our spirit still lives on, 

Though dead, we speak.” 

This being so, then let us, whether Jews or Gentiles, 
Catholics or Protestants, white or black, Knights of 
Columbus or Ku Klux Klansmen, live harmoniously to¬ 
gether, and sing with the angels of old, “Glory to God 
in the Highest, and on Earth Peace and Good Will 
Toward Men!” 




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